23. 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.