The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a global, coordinated research project to map all the human genes, and analyze and sequence the human DNA. It is an international effort led by the Human Genome Programs of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Department of Energy (DOE) with the participation of more than 18 countries worldwide, with major contributions from the Welcome Trust foundation in the United Kingdom, and the governments of France, Germany, and Japan. In February 2001, a working draft of the human genome sequence and map was published by HGP in the scientific journal Nature almost at the same time as a competing biotechnology company published its own draft in the journal Science.

The original discussions about the feasibility of starting a project that aims at sequencing the whole genome were initiated by professor Robert Sinsheimer from the University of California (UC...