About Genesmith Informatics LLC

A history of Innovation and Discovery.

About Steven Smith

Steven Smith is a pioneering contributor to the fields of computational biology and bioinformatics, with a career that spans the earliest days of genomics through today’s cutting-edge advances in genome stability and cell-based therapies.

His career began in the late 1980s at the University of Illinois, where he worked with Carl Woese on research that reshaped our understanding of the origin of life. By the early 1990s, as the Human Genome Project was just beginning, he led the computational team at Walter Gilbert’s Harvard Genome Laboratory, where in collaboration with George Church they developed one of the first strategies for whole-genome sequencing. Out of this work came the Genetic Data Environment (GDE), one of the earliest freely available platforms for genome analysis, which influenced later projects such as BioLegato and the BioAfrica HIV-1 research community.

From there, he moved into industry, helping bring GDE into the Genetics Computer Group’s Wisconsin Package, then widely regarded as the leading software for sequence analysis. As Manager of R&D at GCG, he played a key role until the company’s acquisition by Oxford Molecular Group.

In the 2000s, he helped launch NimbleGen Systems, where as Vice President of Bioinformatics he built a suite of applications and tools around a custom DNA microarray platform. His team supported early ENCODE projects, pioneered technologies for sequence capture enrichment, and advanced applications in gene expression, methylation, and epigenomics.

Professional portrait of a middle-aged man in a suit and tie.

Later, as VP of Bioinformatics at Orion Genomics, he led discoveries that transformed the oil palm industry. Working with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Dr. Rob Martienssen of Cold Spring Harbor, his team identified key genetic markers—including SHELL, VIR, and KARMA—with profound economic and ecological impact. These findings, published in major journals and even featured on the cover of Nature, continue to influence sustainable agriculture.

Most recently, he served as Senior Director of Data Science at Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, where he built an NGS-based program supporting genome stability, pluripotency screening, and IND filings for cell-based therapies. His work spans bulk and single-cell gene expression, epigenetics, and whole-genome sequencing, with a strong focus on advancing regenerative medicine.

Today, through Genesmith Informatics LLC, he continues to bring decades of experience in genomics, bioinformatics, and data science to new challenges at the frontier of biology.

Select Publications:

  • Nina Y. Yuan, William D. Richards, Kailyn T. Parham, Sophia G. Clark, Kaylie Greuel, Brandon Polzin, Steven W. Smith, Connie S. Lebakken, Neural organoids incorporating microglia to assess neuroinflammation and toxicities induced by known developmental neurotoxins, Current Research in Toxicology, Volume 9, 2025, 100252, ISSN 2666-027X,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crtox.2025.100252.
  • Meilina Ong-Abdullah, Jared M. Ordway, Nan Jiang, Siew–Eng Ooi, Sau-Yee Kok,5 Norashikin Sarpan, Nuraziyan Azimi, Ahmad Tarmizi Hashim, Zamzuri Ishak, Samsul Kamal Rosli, Fadila Ahmad Malike, Nor Azwani Abu Bakar, Marhalil Marjuni, Norziha Abdullah, Zulkifli Yaakub, Mohd Din Amiruddin, Rajanaidu Nookiah, Rajinder Singh, Eng- Ti Leslie Low, Kuang-Lim Chan, Norazah Azizi, Steven W. Smith, Blaire Bacher, Muhammad A. Budiman, Andrew Van Brunt, Corey Wischmeyer, Melissa Beil, Michael Hogan, Nathan Lakey, Chin-Ching Lim, Xaviar Arulandoo, Choo-Kien Wong, Chin-Nee Choo, Wei-Chee Wong, Yen-Yen Kwan, Sharifah Shahrul Rabiah Syed Alwee, Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi and Robert A. Martienssen. Loss of Karma transposon methylation underlies the mantled somaclonal variant of oil palm. Nature 525, 533–537 (24 September 2015) doi: 10.1038/nature15365
  • Singh R, Low ET, Ooi LC, Ong-Abdullah M, Nookiah R, Ting NC, Marjuni M, Chan PL, Ithnin M, Manaf MA, Nagappan J, Chan KL1, Rosli R, Halim MA1, Azizi N, Budiman MA, Lakey N, Bacher B, Van Brunt A, Wang C, Hogan M, He D, MacDonald JD, Smith SW, Ordway JM, Martienssen RA, Sambanthamurthi R. The oil palm VIRESCENS gene controls fruit colour and encodes a R2R3-MYB. Nat Commun. 2014 Jun 30;5:4106. doi: 10.1038/ncomms5106.
  • Singh R, Ong-Abdullah M, Low ET, Manaf MA, Rosli R, Nookiah R, Ooi LC, Ooi SE, Chan KL, Halim MA, Azizi N, Nagappan J, Bacher B, Lakey N, Smith SW, He D, Hogan M, Budiman MA, Lee EK, DeSalle R, Kudrna D, Goicoechea JL, Wing RA, Wilson RK, Fulton RS, Ordway JM, Martienssen RA, Sambanthamurthi R. Oil palm genome sequence reveals divergence of interfertile species in Old and New worlds. Nature. 2013 Aug 15;500(7462):335-9. doi: 10.1038/nature12309. Epub 2013 Jul 24.
  • Singh R, Low ET, Ooi LC, Ong-Abdullah M, Ting NC, Nagappan J, Nookiah R, Amiruddin MD, Rosli R, Manaf MA, Chan KL, Halim MA, Azizi N, Lakey N, Smith SW, Budiman MA, Hogan M, Bacher B, Van Brunt A, Wang C, Ordway JM, Sambanthamurthi R, Martienssen RA. The oil palm SHELL gene controls oil yield and encodes a homologue of SEEDSTICK. Nature. 2013 Aug 15;500(7462):340-4. doi: 10.1038/nature12356. Epub 2013 Jul 24.
  • Emily Hodges, Zhenyu Xuan, Vivekanand Balija, Melissa Kramer, Michael N Molla, Steven W Smith, Christina M Middle, Matthew J Rodesch, Thomas J Albert, Gregory J Hannon & W Richard McCombie. 2007. Genome-wide in situ exon capture for selective resequencing. Nature Genetics 39, 1522 - 1527 (2007). doi:10.1038/ng.2007.42
  • P. M. Gillevet, A. Ally, M. Dolan, E. Hsu, M. S. Purzycki, S. Smith, C. Wang, and W. Gilbert. 1997 Mycoplasma capricolum : Genomic Sequencing Project in Bacterial Genomes: Physical Structure and Analysis F. J. de Bruijn and G. Weinstock editors.
  • Smith SW, Overbeek R, Woese CR, Gilbert W, Gillevet PM. 1994. The genetic data environment an expandable GUI for multiple sequence analysis. Comput Appl Biosci. 1994 Dec;10(6):671-5. PMID: 7704666
  • Smith S, Welch W, Jakimcius A, Dahlberg T, Preston E, Van Dyke D. 1993. High throughput DNA sequencing using an automated electrophoresis analysis system and a novel sequence assembly program. Biotechniques. 1993 Jun;14(6):1014-8. PMID: 8333945
Close-up of a DNA double helix structure with molecular details.

My Commitment to Research

Genesmith Informatics LLC was founded with one mission: helping organizations make sense of complex genomic data. I combine technical expertise with real-world experience to deliver results that matter. 

Partner With Steve Smith

Interested in learning how Steve and Genesmith Informatics can contribute to your research success? Get in touch with us today to start the conversation.

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