ERGA is the first Regional Node of the Earth BioGenome Project
- luisamarins19
- May 9
- 3 min read
We are happy to announce that the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) has formally recognised the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) as its first regional node representing the European continent. This marks a significant milestone in the long-standing collaboration between the two initiatives and strengthens the biodiversity genomics community in Europe and beyond.
The first EBP Regional Node
Since the early establishment of ERGA in 2020, we have been connected to the EBP as part of the Network of Affiliated Projects. More recently, the EBP has defined a procedure for the establishment of Regional Nodes - initiatives responsible for “coordinating EBP-related activities across broad geographical areas, including continents and political unions”. In the last years, ERGA has grown into a community of over 1000 members, taking a leading role as a hub for connecting hundreds of people and institutions, producing reference genomes for European biodiversity, and promoting valuable knowledge dissemination and exchange. The broad scope and inclusive nature of our community meant ERGA was well positioned to become the very first regional node of the Earth BioGenome Project. We are delighted to take on this role and excited about the opportunity of contributing to the EBP at a new level.
“The EBP is excited to designate ERGA as its first Regional Node, which encompasses biodiversity genomics research across the European continent. ERGA’s outstanding organization and state-of-the-art infrastructure will significantly contribute to the EBP’s goal of sequencing all 1.8 million named eukaryotic species in 10 years, providing solutions for species conservation and mitigating the effects of climate change on economically important plant and animal species.”
Harris Lewin, EBP's Executive Council Chair.
“As the EBP regional node, ERGA plays an important role in connecting and coordinating efforts in the region, from large-scale projects to individual researchers all contributing to assembling the atlas of reference genomes for biodiversity in Europe.”
Robert Waterhouse, ERGA chair.
“The official recognition of the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) as the European node of the Earth BioGenome Project marks the culmination of years of dedication by a passionate and engaged community. From the initial brainstorming sessions during the pandemic—with over 100 participants—to the progress made through Biodiversity Genomics Europe and other initiatives, ERGA has grown into a well-known, inclusive community. Together with the growing number of projects under its umbrella, ERGA is now playing a pivotal role in democratising access to high-quality genomics for biodiversity research across Europe.”
Camila Mazzoni, ERGA founding chair.
Alignment of goals
The recognition of ERGA as an EBP Regional Node reinforces our community’s commitment to build and foster a global EBP network, aligning our goals and contributing to sequence the genomes of all living eukaryotic species on Earth. Following the requirements for EBP regional nodes, ERGA is committed to:
Coordinate activities with the EBP and EBP-affiliated projects as described in our governance document
Adhere to and promote recommendations and guidelines issued by EBP Committees, Councils, or the Secretariat.
Click here for a view of a model of the organisational structure of the EBP as a global network of interconnected communities. Click here to learn more about the ERGA community and structure.
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