In 15 years we'll have all the sequence, a list of the genes everyone has in common and those that differ among people. We know only something like a tenth of 1 percent of the sequence at the moment.

I have the same sense of the power and virtue of knowledge that some people get from a religious background.

The community as a whole doesn't listen patiently to critics who adopt alternative viewpoints. Although the great lesson of history is that knowledge develops through the conflict of viewpoints.

The best project is one that asks a novel question.

Everyone wants a hand in the outcome, a piece of the knowledge.

Why do we do basic research? To learn about ourselves.

We know specific genes are turned on in specific cells, but we don't know to what extent this happens.