The giant panda is a much loved animal all over the world and is considered a symbol of China, as illustrated by its being one of the mascots for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. However, it is also one of the world's most endangered species, previous research shows that the estimated number of wild pandas is only from 1,600 to 3,000, and only distributed in a restricted mountainous region in China. The pandas have developed many unique adaptations, especially for its dietary dependence on bamboos, and kindly behavioral style.

The giant panda is often referred to as a "living fossil" as there is evidence that its ancestors existed in China more than 8 million years ago. Taxonomy and genetic studies indicate that the giant panda is most closely related to bears, not to raccoons as was once considered. So far, the giant panda has been the focal point of many research interests. However, little research has been done on a genomic scale. It has a genome size of about 3 Gb, which is approximately the same size as the human genome, and is thought to have 20,000--30,000 genes.

The Giant Panda Genome Project was launched at Mar. 2008, with the aim of producing a high quality genome sequence by new sequencing technology and new assembling method. The panda to be sequenced was female, chosen from the Chengdu and Wolong breeding centers. The whole genome sequence, will provide an unparalleled amount of information to aid in understanding the genetic and biological underpinnings of this unique species, contribute much to the disease control and conservation efforts for endangered species. This de novo new sequencing project will also have far-reaching implications for promoting advances in sequencing tools and techniques.

The participants in panda project mainly include the assembly team, annotate team, evolution team and database team, as well as other people who are interested in this project and often give kindly help.