The issue can be found on Cell’s website.

This illustration was created using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Genome sequencing is revolutionizing our understanding of life on Earth. Assembling a genome is akin to a jigsaw puzzle; overlaps between DNA sequences are used to generate a genome assembly, with the aim to recreate the chromosome content of an organism. However, a large complex jigsaw puzzle constructed of potentially millions of pieces, often no reference to guide assembly, and a long list of technical and biological features and biases can make this task challenging. The cover illustrates some of these challenges, which are often responsible for incomplete, fragmented assemblies that can limit our understanding of the structure and feature content of a genome. In this issue of Trends in Parasitology, Doyle outlines the challenges and opportunities toward generating high-quality genome resources for helminths. Cover image designed by Stephen R. Doyle and illustrated by Naola Leconte.