Our History
Although IGS was established at the University of Maryland Baltimore campus in 2007, we trace the origins of what would become IGS back to 1992. That year, IGS Founding Director, Claire Fraser, PhD, took a leadership position at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in Rockville, Maryland.
While at TIGR, Dr. Fraser and her colleagues completed the sequencing of the first genome of a free-living organism, Haemophilus influenzae, which is known to cause respiratory tract infections and meningitis in young children. This groundbreaking work launched the new field of microbial genomics. Furthermore, that team made significant contributions to the sequencing of the first human genome, which was announced in 2003. In 2001, researchers from TIGR helped the FBI in pinpointing the source of the Anthrax Letter Attacks by identifying mutations that indicated the laboratory where the anthrax had originated.
In 2007, Dr. Fraser moved 60 staff members and 15 senior scientists to UMSOM and launched IGS, marking the beginning of a new chapter. Since then, the group has been the hub of genomics research on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. From 2022 to 2025, Jacques Ravel, PhD, served as Acting Director of IGS while Dr. Fraser went on sabbatical and ultimately retired. Elana Fertig, PhD, FAIMBE, became IGS Director in December 2024 to expand the reach of computational and human genomics within IGS. Dr. Ravel founded the Center for Advanced Microbiome Research and Innovation (CAMRI) in 2025 to continue to build on IGS's foundation in microbiome science.
And, as they say: The rest is history...
More recent history:
2022 to 2025:
Dr. Jacques Ravel serves as Acting Director of IGS, while Dr. Fraser takes sabbatical and later retires.
Dec. 2024:
Dr. Elana Fertig is named Director of IGS.
2025:
Dr. Ravel named Director of the newly established Center for Advanced Microbiome Research & Innovation (CAMRI) to build on IGS's long standing success in microbiome science.
Dr. Ravel receives an appointment as Assistant Dean for Research Advancement at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Dr. Fertig is named Associate Director for Quantitative Science, The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.