Skip to main content

where science meets society

Where Science Meets Society

Learn More About IGB

The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB) is an innovative research institute using cutting-edge genomic practices to tackle large-scale global challenges currently facing humanity.

Food security for a growing population. Effective therapeutic drugs and antibiotics. Automated synthesis of new molecules and proteins. Using a team-based, collaborative science approach, researchers at the IGB are addressing these and other complex issues. Our main areas of research below are each supported by our strong commitment to fundamental science – the pursuit of discovery.

Health & Wellness

Health +
Wellness

How the genome enhances, affects, or disrupts physical and mental wellbeing.

Learn More

Technology & Socety

Tech +
Society

Advancing our capability to shape the world and capacity to understand each other.

Learn More

Agriculture & Energy

Ag +
Energy

Sustainably feeding and fueling a planet impacted by a changing global climate.

Learn More

Outreach & Public Engagement

Outreach &
Public Engagement

Encouraging the public to understand how genomics affects daily life and society.

Learn More

Roots of Genomics installation at IGB

Spotlight

Roots of Genomics installation at IGB

Learn more

Featured Stories

Prominent global change scientist joins crop sciences, plant biology
Illinois researchers developed a nanorobotic hand made of DNA that can grab viruses for detection or inhibition. In this artist’s rendering, three “NanoGripper” hands wrap around a COVID-19 virus.  Image courtesy of Xing Wang
Sabrina Abdulla is a microbiologist working in education and outreach. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, and doing aerial sports.
Researchers start the first experiment with sugarcane in the greenhouse. Credit: John Hodge/CABBI
 The Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior and Society
Highly cited researchers this year at Illinois are, clockwise from top left: Ed Deiner, Brent Roberts, Atul Jain, Axel Hoffmann, Stephen Long and Kaiyu Guan.  Photos by L. Brian Stauffer and Fred Zwicky