The Earth BioGenome Project aims to sequence, catalog, and characterize the genomes of all of Earth’s eukaryotic biodiversity over a period of 10 years. With seed funding provided by the Illinois Innovation Network, the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology have completed a year-long pilot study to demonstrate the potential for Illinois to join a global network of communities engaged in genome sequencing and the conservation of biodiversity. 

The Illinois pilot project involved collecting, identifying, and sequencing the genomes of 10 insect species. In a virtual workshop on July 21, members of the interdisciplinary team presented their findings and lessons learned. The workshop culiminated in an open discussion among panelists and audience members. 

Watch the video of the Illinois pilot project workshop.