It’s not every week that there are two interesting genomics stories in the local press. I recognize that the world of plant genomics is global. We’re engaged with people from around the globe. It’s exciting to see how the fundamental principles of biology and the shared excitement for the possibilities unlocked by advancing sequencing technology create a global community of researchers so passionate about making a difference. But, it’s worth noting that thinking globally, acting locally is a good strategy.

Beer. A fine topic for a Friday… Oregon is home to a thriving craft and home brewing community. Here we like to make our own, drink the local brew, and wax poetic about the finish and aroma of a pint the way a Napa Valley sommelier describes a cabernet. One of the critical ingredients in beer is hops. Oregon happens to be one of the best places in the world to grow hops – sounds like an opportunity!

It is, and a company called Indie Hops is making a push towards developing new varieties of hops at Oregon State. What does this have to do with genomics? With today’s technologies, the $1 Million they’re investing in research can go a really long ways to advancing the breeding process with genetic markers, diagnostic tests, or even sequencing the Humulus genome. That in turn creates new varieties of hops faster, which gives us better beer; everyone is happy!

The other big news of the week is the publication of the Brachypodium genome. This project, led in part by Tood Mockler and others at the Oregon State Center for Genome Resources and Biocomputing, is a major achievement in the world of grass and cereals research. It’s exciting to see such important work being done right up the road. Congratulations to Todd and the hundreds of collaborators around the world on finishing such an important project. Now, go enjoy a Oregon microbrew to celebrate.