Research scientist J. Craig Venter, whose work helped define modern genomics and launched the field of synthetic biology, died in San Diego after recently being diagnosed with cancer. He was 79. The J. Craig Venter Institute, which is based in La Jolla and Rockville, Maryland, announced the institute’s founder, board chair and chief executive officer’s passing on Wednesday. Venter died following a brief hospitalization for unexpected side-effects that arose from cancer treatment,...