Blog
August 6, 2020
“Murder Hornet” Genome Rapidly Assembled by USDA as Part of Real-Time Invasive Species Response Initiative
With a nickname like “murder hornet,” it’s no wonder the two-inch long Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has caused a stir amongst those terrified of insect invasions. The wasps —…
July 29, 2020
A HiFi View: Sequencing the Gut Microbiome with Highly Accurate Long Reads
Whether you are seeking to characterize microbial diversity in the gut, or distinguish between pathogenic and commensal bacteria on the skin, full-length 16S rRNA sequencing using PacBio systems is a…
July 23, 2020
Sequencing 101: what’s the value of sequencing full-length RNA transcripts?
The study of genomics has revolutionized our understanding of science, but the field of transcriptomics grew with the need to explore the functional impacts of genetic variation. While different tissues…
July 21, 2020
Review: How Long-Read Sequencing Is Revealing Unseen Genomic Variation
“We are now embarking on an era where all genetic variation in an individual will be completely discovered,” write Glennis Logsdon (@glennis_logsdon), Mitchell Vollger (@mrvollger), and Evan Eichler in a recent…
July 17, 2020
New Isoform Phasing Technique Traces Parental-Progeny Differences in Maize
It’s not unusual for progeny to outperform their parents, and it’s often the goal in plant breeding. But tracing the molecular basis of such heterosis can be difficult, especially…
July 7, 2020
Sequencing 101: from DNA to discovery — the steps of SMRT sequencing
Last updated: 10 April 2026 Starting a sequencing project can be daunting. First of all, there are several types of sequencing technologies, each based on unique processes. At PacBio, we…
July 1, 2020
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff: Low DNA Input Workflow Enables Sequencing of the Smallest Species
Tackling larger and larger genomes has been an attractive pursuit for many scientists as sequencing technologies improve at rapid rates. But what about the other end of the spectrum —…
June 17, 2020
Webinar: Increasing Solve Rates for Rare and Mendelian Diseases with Long-Read Sequencing
It’s well known that finding the genetic cause of rare diseases can be complex — that’s why so many remain unsolved. But researchers are beginning to get a grasp on…
June 1, 2020
Webinar: Using SMRT Sequencing to Understand SARS-CoV-2 and the Host Immune Response
As the flurry of research around the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues at an unprecedented pace, scientists are beginning to tackle some of the more complex immunological responses with the help of…
May 21, 2020
Sequencing 101: understanding accuracy in DNA sequencing
Last updated: 01 May 2026 For scientists who utilize DNA sequencing in their research but are not experts in the underlying technology, it can be difficult to determine the…
May 11, 2020
The Pathologist: Solving Rare Disease with SMRT Sequencing
The strides scientists have made in rare disease research lately is truly impressive. For an overview of recent progress, we encourage you to check out a new article in The…
May 6, 2020
Data Release: HiFi Sequencing Results for Plants, Animals, and Microbes
UPDATE — November 17, 2020: This paper is now published in Scientific Data. ORIGINAL POST It’s been more than a year since we introduced HiFi sequencing to generate highly accurate…
April 30, 2020
Sequencing 101: looking beyond the single reference genome to a pangenome for every species
What is a pangenome? Unless you have an identical twin, no other person has a genome that is identical to yours. The same is true for other animal, plant, and…
April 28, 2020
Delivering New Insights into Cancer Research: SMRT Sequencing Case Studies
Will the next big cancer breakthrough be in immunotherapy? Therapeutic modification of the tumor microenvironment or microbiome? Or early detection and screening? Whatever the result, long-read sequencing technology can play…
April 22, 2020
Sequencing 101: why are long reads important for studying viral genomes?
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a sudden urgency to virus research and led many of us to dig more deeply into all the tools available for characterizing viral genomes, from…