Genome
of Europe

100,000 Genomes for a Healthy Europe

countries
0
newly sequenced genomes
0
total funding
€ 0 M
experts
0

Austria - 2113 samples to be sequenced

Medical University of Innsbruck
Johannes Zschocke

CEMM - Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Cristoph Bock

Medical University of Graz
Ellen Heitzer

Medical University of Vienna
Markus Hengstschlaeger

Belgium - 2903 samples to be sequenced

KU Leuven
Joris Vermeesch

VIB - Vlaams Institute of Biotechnology
Frederik Coppens 

Sciensano
Wannes Van Hoof 

Bulgaria - 1853 samples to be sequenced

Medical University of Sofia
Radka Kaneva

Croatia - 1257 samples to be sequenced

The Ruđer Bošković Institute
Oliver Vugrek

Cyprus - 310 samples to be sequenced

University of Cyprus
Constantinos Deltas

Czechia - 2946 samples to be sequenced

Masaryk University, CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology
Sarka Pospisilova

Denmark - 1414 samples to be sequenced

Danish National Genome Center
Ivana Bogicevic

Estonia - 368 samples to be sequenced

University of Tartu
Andres Metspalu

Finland - 1462 samples to be sequenced

University of Helsinki
Markus Perola

IT Centre for Science
Tommi Nyronen

France - 17041 samples to be sequenced

INSERM - National Institute of Health and Medical Research
Emmanuelle Genin

INSERM-CAD
Philippe-Jean Bousquet

CNRGH – National Center of Human Genomics Research
Jean-Francois Deleuze

Germany - 20235 samples to be sequenced

University of Tübingen
Olaf Riess

European Molecular Biology Laboratory/ ELIXIR
Serena Scollen

Helmholtz Institute
Eleftheria Zeggini

Greece - 2924 samples to be sequenced

Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens
Dimitris Thanos

University of Patras
George Patrinos

Hungary - 2660 samples to be sequenced

Semmelweis University
Maria Judit Molnar

Ireland - 1262 samples to be sequenced

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Gianpiero Cavalleri

Italy - 15762 samples to be sequenced

Centro Cardiologico Monzino
Gualtiero Colombo

CNR - Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies
Graziano Pesole

Human Technopole
Nicole Soranzo

Latvia - 476 samples to be sequenced

Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre
Janis Klovins

Lithuania - 816 samples to be sequenced

Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos
Laima Ambrozaityte

Luxembourg - 200 samples to be sequenced

Luxembourg National Data Service
Davit Chokoshvili

Luxembourg Institute of Health
Frank Glod

Malta - 200 samples to be sequenced

Ministry for Health and Active Aging of Malta
Miriam Dalmas

Moldova - GoE Candidate country

Netherlands - 4510 samples to be sequenced

Erasmus MC
Andre Uitterlinden

Legal Pathways
Jasper Bovenberg

Norway - 1346 samples to be sequenced

University of Oslo
Trine Rounge

Poland - 400 samples to be sequenced

University of Lodz
Blazej Marciniak

Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Luiza Handschuh

Portugal - 2904 samples to be sequenced

National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA)
Astrid Vicente

Association of BIP4DAB
Ana Teresa Freitas

Romania - 0 (+2800) samples to be sequenced

Genomics Research and Development Institute of Romania
Octavian Bucur

Serbia - GoE Candidate country

Slovakia - GoE Candidate country

Slovenia - 491 samples to be sequenced

University Medical Centre Ljubljana
Jernej Kovac

University of Ljubljana
Damjana Rozman

Spain - 12125 samples to be sequenced

Carlos III Health Institute
Beatriz Perez

University of the Basque Country
Maria Pilar Nicolas

CNAG - Centro Nacional de Analisis Genomico
Ivo Gut

Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO)
Anna Gonzalez-Neira

Center for Genomic Regulation
Jordi Rambla

Ukraine - GoE Candidate country​

Sweden - 2591 samples to be sequenced

Uppsala University
Adam Ameur

Switzerland - GoE Candidate country

Türkiye - GoE Candidate country

Media Kit

Stay updated on the Genome of Europe project’s progress and impact through a selection of news articles and publications.
News
June 25, 2025The Genome of Europe (GoE) has launched a public awareness survey across five European countries (Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal, and Slovenia) to assess citizens’ understanding and attitudes towards genetics and genomics-based personalized medicine. The survey is part of a wider scientific and societal effort to ensure that all Europeans can benefit from the promises of modern genomic medicine. Why it is needed? Genetics plays a key role not only in the development of diseases but also in how individuals respond to medical treatments. While the human genome is 99% identical across individuals, each has unique genetic variations that influence their health and medical outcomes. Recent advances in science and medicine have made it possible to use this genetic information to predict, prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more precisely—a concept known as personalized medicine. The current survey is part of the Genome of Europe initiative, a pan-European research project uniting 27 countries to create a comprehensive reference database of genetic data from people of diverse ancestries living across Europe. This reference data is crucial for developing fair and effective personalized medicine accessible to all European citizens, regardless of their background. In addition to building genomic reference cohorts, the project seeks to raise public awareness and engage key stakeholders on the benefits and implications of genomics-based healthcare through various communication activities. This survey plays a key role in shaping those efforts. ” There is an increasing interest in genetics and personalized medicine across Europe, driven by advancements in genomic research and technology. We are polling people in 5 member countries to address the relevant communication more precisely. If people do not understand what personalized medicine is and how it would improve healthcare in the coming years, they are not going to use it“, said Prof. Andres Metspalu, Professor of Genomics and Biobanking at the University of Tartu. The survey’s primary objective is to evaluate public knowledge of genetics and attitudes toward using genomics in personalized healthcare across different European regions. The results will help identify knowledge gaps, misunderstandings, or ethical concerns and guide future communication and engagement strategies. The survey is conducted in two phases: the first in the early stages of the project (2025), and the second just before its conclusion in 2028. Share our news with your network! Eurekalert news item LinkedIN post Facebook post [...] Read more...
June 25, 202523. May, 2025 – at the Melia Hotel, Milan, Italy — Just ahead of the annual European Human Genetics Society (ESHG) meeting, the Genome of Europe (GoE) project consortium gathered in Milan for a pivotal in-person meeting focused on shaping the future of genomic research. The meeting brought together representatives from participating countries to align on the project’s core mission: to build a comprehensive, diverse, and ethically grounded genomic reference for Europe. The event brought together 81 people in person and 47 online – project partners, candidate countries, funding agency representatives, advisory board members and industry representatives. Work package leads gave overviews of the latest developments and open discussions were held on topics raised during brainstorming sessions. As a general summary, the following themes came to the forefront of discussions:  The purpose of the GoE project: mission statement, goals, message to the world and visibility  Connection and alignment with GDI: metadata and future proofing  Approach towards diversity and representation, sample numbers, country of origin  The role of ELSI expertise in GoE countries  Sequencing technology approaches for GoE samples  Internal communication: communication channels, materials, calendar  Much of the discussion during the consortium meeting reflected on the purpose of the project and how we can better share its mission with the world. The meeting in Milan reinforced a powerful, shared motivation among all participating countries:🔹 To represent the rich genetic diversity of modern European populations🔹 To demand and deliver the highest standards of scientific integrity🔹 To collectively build a reference map that will shape the future of precision medicine and public health in Europe. [...] Read more...
March 3, 2025The European Genomic Data Infrastructure (GDI) project and Genome of Europe (GoE) have formally announced a strategic collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. This collaboration will stimulate knowledge exchange between the two projects to advance population genomics research in Europe and enable data access and analysis across participating countries. Both EU projects are co-funded by the Digital Europe Programme to realise the 1+Million Genomes (1+MG) Initiative’s ambition of accelerating the deployment of genomic medicine at the European level and fostering the development of personalised prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The projects are built on the 1+MG Framework, which organises the recommendations, guidelines and best practices of European Union experts to realise the 1+MG initiative’s ambition. The GoE project aims to establish a unique pan-European reference database comprising of a minimum of 100,000 genomes representative of European citizens and demonstrate long-term benefits to the use of genomic data in research, healthcare, and prevention. The GDI project is establishing a federated, sustainable and secure infrastructure across participating countries to access data and its associated metadata. The GDI project demonstrates the benefits of the European Genomic Data Infrastructure to its stakeholders via use cases, including cancer, infectious diseases and population genomics. The two projects will work collaboratively to make GoE data available via the GDI infrastructure. This involves addressing regulatory challenges of providing access across national borders to genome, health and clinical record data. GDI and GoE look forward to working together to make European population genomic data accessible across borders. [...] Read more...
March 2, 2025In March 2025 Genome of Europe project launched its first newsletter. The quarterly newsletter will conclude latest developments and achievements in the project, introduce people and institutions involved, pinpoint events worthy to attend and much more. The newsletter is outward looking and directed to all interested in the developments of the project and the field! If you wish to get this newsletter directly into your mailbox in the future, please sign up below in the footer of the page! GoE_newletter_March25Download [...] Read more...
November 14, 202427 countries join forces to establish a unique pan-European reference database comprising of a minimum of 100,000 genomes representative of European citizens.  The most extensive EU-funded programme on population genomics to date, “Genome of Europe” (GoE), was officially launched by bringing more than 100 researchers and experts from 74 institutions across 34 countries together in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 30—31 October. During the next 42 months, this groundbreaking initiative, backed by €45 million in funding (with 20 million coming from the EU) will establish a unique pan-European reference database. This will consist of newly generated whole genome sequences from 40 subpopulations across the participating countries to generate the reference genome – all for the benefit of personalised health care.  Prof. André Uitterlinden, Coordinator of the Genome of Europe project from Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, stated: “The Genome of Europe will play a crucial role in genetic discoveries in health care and prevention, support national genome programs, and facilitate the integration of genomics into the European Health Data Space. The choice of the location of the kick-off meeting (a large ocean liner SS Rotterdam) is symbolic—much like a ship setting sail, embarking on a journey to a new world, the Genome of Europe programme begins its ambitious journey towards laying the foundation for a future of genomics-assisted healthcare in Europe and beyond. National genome programs exist elsewhere, but this is the first time 27 countries come together in such a single project. This historic and monumental enterprise aims to unite European genomics initiatives to help make personalised medicine a reality for all Europeans. On behalf of the whole coordination team, I can only say we are very grateful for the very enthusiastic support of so many countries to make this project happen.”  Personalised medicine is increasingly a global focus area in health care and prevention, to optimise early detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of both common and rare diseases in all major disease and public health areas. The genetic information of a person’s DNA or genome is the foundation stone of personalised medicine.  Database of representative reference genomes  An essential first step will be the generation of a database of representative reference genomes to characterise “normal” genetic diversity across population subgroups in Europe. While some European genetic data sources exist, the Genome of Europe will collect whole-genome sequencing (WGS) from an unprecedented number of subpopulations and minorities across Europe. This will be critical for many subsequent personalised medicine applications using genetic information, both in clinical genetics and oncology where WGS is already taking place, as well as in treatment (e.g., pharmacogenomics) and prevention programmes.  With a strong focus on public engagement, transparency, ethical and legal frameworks, and sustainability, GoE will lay the groundwork for responsible genomic advancements across Europe, promoting the EU’s global leadership in genomic research and personalised health care.  “Much and many of our characteristics as human beings are encoded in our DNA, including our risk for diseases or how we respond to treatment. And we carry this information from birth till death, opening up the possibilities of comprehensive risk prediction with single and affordable tests, e.g., in prevention programmes. As a result, DNA information is used widely in clinical and research applications, such as understanding disease biology, targeting prevention or genetics-assisted diagnostics. Interpretation of such findings depends critically on the quality of your reference while implementation in national settings requires calibration to the diversity of local communities. And historically Europe has seen enormous dynamics of genetic diversity through migration and colonialism,” explains André Uitterlinden, Coordinator of the Genome of Europe project.  Boost for personalised medicine and prevention  The 1+MG initiative has brought together scientific and governmental experts from around Europe to discuss all aspects of this development while aiming to create 500,000 reference genomes to more fully capture that genetic diversity. “Genome of Europe will now create this first data collection of 100,000 genomes, which will boost all the areas in personalised medicine and prevention,” said Uitterlinden.  Overall, the project actively engages with the broader European landscape, aligning with relevant initiatives, programmes, and recovery plans to create a strong foundation for the GoE project. In addition, GoE is planning to actively engage with other Genome programmes globally such as in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK, as well as develope programmes in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East.  About the Genome of Europe (GoE)  The Genome of Europe aims to establish a unique pan-European reference database of at least 100,000 genomes—a milestone supporting the larger 1+ Million Genomes initiative. The reference database will represent Europe’s diverse populations, integrating existing genomic datasets and new genomic data through de novo sequencing of distinct national populations. The project encompasses 49 partners across 27 European countries (26 EU + 1 non-EU) and is backed with €45M in funding, with €20M coming from the European Commission under the Digital Europe Programme.  Key goals of the initiative include:  Creating a pan-European community of practice: Establishing a collaborative community to support the reference genome project.  Evaluating the long-term potential of genome sequencing in research and health care in Europe and beyond, including different sequencing technologies, also long-read sequencing, helping to uncover previously inaccessible “dark regions” of the genome.  Focusing on ethics, data security, and legal compliance: The project will be guided by ethical, legal, and societal considerations while upholding stringent data security standards building (inter)national guidelines for the responsible use of WGS that leads to better health care for EU citizens.  Embedding GoE data within Europe’s genomic data infrastructure: Integrating GoE data into the previously funded Digital Europe Programme’s Genomic Data Infrastructure (GDI) project, ensuring interoperability across initiatives.  Assessing GoE’s impact and usability: Through case studies, evaluating the project’s contributions to understanding genetic diversity, enabling multi-ancestry imputation, and enhancing genetic risk profiling.  The project is cofunded by the European Commission under grant agreement no. 101168231  About the Erasmus University Medical Center  Erasmus MC is the largest University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Our primary goal is a healthy population. Over 18,000 employees devote themselves every day to providing outstanding care, facilitating world-class education and conducting pioneering research. These professionals are instrumental in developing expertise on health and illness. They link the latest scientific insights to practical treatments and prevention measures to provide maximum benefit to patients and to enable healthy people to stay healthy longer. Being visibly better and leading the way in the areas of complex, innovative and acute care by collaborating with others: these are key ambitions at Erasmus MC. [...] Read more...