Human Genome Project

American  

noun

1. a federally funded U.S. scientific project to identify both the genes and the entire sequence of DNA base pairs that make up the human genome.

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Etymology

Origin of Human Genome Project

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

This was completed in 2003 by the Human Genome Project.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

In 1988, he became the first director of the $3-billion Human Genome Project, whose goal was to identify and map every human gene.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

From funding the Human Genome Project to investing in HIV/AIDS treatment to supporting the creation of the COVID-19 vaccines, we’ve proven time and again that strong national governance can overcome scientific obstacles.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2025

The essay followed an 8 May congressional briefing organized by an international consortium of RNA researchers calling for an RNome Project, the RNA equivalent of the Human Genome Project.

From Science Magazine • May 30, 2024

In about twelve hours, in an undergraduate dorm room in New York, he had poured the foundation for the Human Genome Project.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee