The anonymous male donor behind much of the public HGP reference genome lived in Buffalo, New York. His sample was assigned the code name RP11, referring to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.
The public Human Genome Project did not sequence one person’s entire genome from a knowingly identified volunteer. Researchers collected blood or sperm from many donors, created several DNA libraries, and selected a small number for sequencing. One male-derived library, RP11, was used far more extensively because it met important quality requirements.
More than 70% of the reference sequence produced by the public project came from this single anonymous male donor, although the reference genome is a composite rather than a complete personal genome. That distinction matters: scientists also used material from other donors, and the donor’s identity was protected. Buffalo is therefore the canonical city answer, while nearby institutions and the code RP11 explain why the city appears in genome history.