San Diego– The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a global pioneer in genomic research, will move its West Coast operations to IQHQ’s Research and Development District (RaDD) on San Diego’s downtown waterfront, marking a major milestone in the city’s expanding life sciences sector.
Currently based at the University of California San Diego, JCVI will occupy approximately 50,000 square feet of lab and office space in RaDD’s Core building, with the move scheduled for 2026. The new headquarters will include a state-of-the-art human genome sequencing facility, reinforcing JCVI’s role at the forefront of genomic science.
“We are proud to welcome JCVI and its team of dedicated scientists to RaDD as the project’s cornerstone life science partner,” said Tracy Murphy, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of IQHQ. “JCVI’s leadership in genomics has shaped the biotech community in San Diego and far beyond.”
Founded in 1992, JCVI has played a pivotal role in genomics and synthetic biology, credited with sequencing the first genome of a free-living organism in 1995, leading the draft sequencing of the human genome in 2000, and creating the first synthetic cell in 2010. Its research has helped generate over $1 trillion in estimated global economic impact, and the institute has produced over 2,600 published research articles and numerous commercial spinouts.
“I have a long and personal history with San Diego,” said JCVI founder J. Craig Venter, PhD. “From serving here in the Navy to launching my academic career at UC San Diego, this city has always been part of my journey. I’m thrilled that JCVI will help anchor the RaDD district and look forward to the scientific and community impact it will bring.”
The RaDD campus, developed by IQHQ, offers over five acres of green space, waterfront dining, retail, and event venues, just minutes from the airport and transit centers. As the first major scientific institute to set up in downtown San Diego, JCVI’s presence is expected to catalyze the growth of a vibrant urban life sciences cluster.
“JCVI’s arrival in downtown San Diego strengthens our city’s position as a global center for innovation,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “It brings high-quality jobs, boosts our economy, and redefines the waterfront as a hub for scientific excellence.”
In 2024 alone, San Diego’s life sciences industry generated nearly $57 billion in economic output and supported over 220,000 direct and indirect jobs. Leaders across the sector see the JCVI-IQHQ partnership as a major step toward sustaining and expanding that momentum.
“IQHQ and JCVI’s new partnership represents a significant advancement for California’s life science ecosystem,” said Tim Scott, President and CEO of Biocom California. “It’s a strategic move that will drive scientific breakthroughs and expand access to opportunity across the state.”
