Jim Kent directs the genome browser development and quality assurance staff of the UCSC
Genome Bioinformatics Group. He created the computer program that assembled the first working draft of the human genome sequence from information produced by sequencing centers worldwide and and participated in the informatics associated with the finishing effort. The UCSC Genome Bioinformatics Group participates in the public consortium efforts to produce, assemble, and annotate genomes.
Click photos to enlarge UCSC Genome Browser
The UCSC Genome Browser provides interactive
exploration of metazoan genome sequences. It fuses
multiple
kinds of genome-wide annotation in a web-based "genome
microscope." The genomes are annotated based on high-throughput experimental
projects, bioinformatics, and large human-curated data sets.
The UCSC Genome Browser allows cross-species comparisons and now features a growing set of images showing expression patterns at both the tissue and cellular levels. These projects receive funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3).
New book: Beautiful Code
Jim is one of programmers featured in Beautiful Code, expected out in June 2007. Leading computer scientists offer case studies that reveal how they found unusual, carefully designed solutions to high-profile projects. All author royalties will be donated to Amnesty International.
In real life
Jim lives in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife Heidi and children Mira and Tisa. Before bioinformatics, Jim used to write computer art and animation programs. He enjoys Spanish language, guitar, and reading just about everything.
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