A significant milestone in deciphering the human genetic code -- the completion of a major gene sequencing goal by the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI) -- will be announced on Friday, October 23, at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Genome Sciences Building. This achievement places the JGI effort as the third worldwide in terms of its total contribution of publicly available DNA sequence.

The JGI is a consortium of scientists, engineers and staff from the Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, and Los Alamos National Laboratories. They are key players in an international effort to determine the 3 billion base pairs ("letters") that comprise the human genome within the next five years -- an achievement that promises untold opportunities to improve health and advances in disease treatment and cure.

In addition to celebrating the technological successes of the JGI, DOE and laboratory officials will be available to discuss the new accelerated five-year plan developed by the DOE and National Institutes of Health to complete the mapping program. The plan will be officially described in Science magazine's October 23 issue (copies of the report will be available at the event).

The media will also be provided with a 20-minute laboratory tour to explain JGI's sequencing program. Operating robotic systems will be activated to provide interesting visuals for television.

Participating will be Martha Krebs, the DOE's Director of the Office of Energy Research; Ari Patrinos, DOE's Director of the Office of Biological and Environmental Sciences; and Elbert Branscomb, Director of the Joint Genome Institute. All will be available to answer questions following the tour.

WHAT: SEQUENCING MILESTONE ANNOUNCEMENT

WHERE: LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY
Building 84 (Genome Sciences Building) Lobby

WHEN: Friday, October 23, 1998, 10-11 a.m.

PARKING: Space must be reserved by calling (510) 486-4762. RSVP by noon Thursday, October 22. Media must be pre-registered and should enter the lab via Centennial Drive through the Strawberry Gate (near the UC Berkeley Botanical