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The Sequence podcast EP1: Inside the global genomics leader

CTO Steve Barnard reflects on Illumina's journey from a little‑known startup to a genomics leader—catching and creating waves of innovation

The Sequence podcast EP1: Inside the global genomics leader
March 26, 2026

The Sequence video podcast brings you candid conversations with the people leading the genomics revolution. In our inaugural episode, Illumina VP and Head of Global Strategic Accounts Ashley Van Zeeland sits down with Chief Technology Officer Steve Barnard—the company’s fourth employee and first scientist—to talk about the waves of innovation shaping Illumina today.

Nerd out with us, join the genomics revolution, and listen to learn more about:  

  • The early days of sequencing, and how Illumina continues to help develop and democratize it 
  • Eureka moments that led to the latest breakthrough technology, TruPath Genome 
  • What's ahead on the frontiers of multiomics, multimodal data, and AI
  • Overcoming the catch-22 between scientific questions and the technologies needed to answer them
     

Read more from Steve Barnard on our News Center: “Go big and go ome.” 

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