ERGA News #34 - January 2026
- luisamarins19
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
News
New Publication! From Permits to Samples: Addressing Key Challenges for High-Quality Reference Genome Generation in Europe
Led by the Sampling & Sample Processing Comittee, the article titled “From Permits to Samples: Addressing Key Challenges for High-Quality Reference Genome Generation in Europe" was published last week in Molecular Ecology Resources. This publication draws on the practical experiences of the ERGA community. Congratulations to all the authors!
Help choose the new ERGA Logo!
ERGA is working with a communications company (https://www.musicanti.eu/en/) to develop a new visual identity and website. A key part of this process is selecting a new logo. Because this is such an important decision, members of the ERGA community have been invited to express their preferences on the design of the new logo.
All registered ERGA members received an email with a survey link to vote on Tuesday, January 27th (please check your spam folder and contact media@erga-biodiversity.eu if you did not receive the link). The form will remain open until February 3rd, so don’t forget to cast your vote before the deadline!
BG Connects policy roundtable: Report now available
The final act of the BG Connects event, last October, convened a group of key policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors to explore how biodiversity genomics can support Europe’s response to biodiversity loss, drive innovation and contribute to the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the European Green Deal. The roundtable, titled “Biodiversity innovation: Enabling technology for nature and green growth”, counted on the presence of Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans.
Become an ATLASea Species Ambassador!
The ATLASea project is actively seeking input from the community for species to sequence. These have to be sampled in a marine/brackish/estuary environment, and be documented in the French EEZ (but can be sampled outside the French EEZ). If you have one or several such a species in mind for a scientific or applied project, or even would like to discuss a larger project encompassing a taxonomic group or specific geographic location, you can get in touch via the ATLASea Ambassador scheme: https://www.atlasea.fr/en/species-ambassadors/
🐐 GoaT Update
Check below some useful tips to transform the way you work with the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) Portal:
Images by Anna Bramucci
🔔 Save the date! The next ERGA Plenary (Monday, February 16th at 15:00 CET) will feature a presentation by Dr Cibele Sotero-Caio, genomic data curator for the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) databasing tool. Cibele will present the solutions found to address the feedback provided by the ERGA community and their strategies to increase transparancy and access to information.
Events
4 February | Online
28 - 30 April, 2026 | Online
4-8 May - Heraklion, Crete
6-10 July - Leiden, The Netherlands
31 August - 3 September 2026 | Geneva, Switzerland
21-25 September | Oslo, Norway / Hybrid
Featured conferences with sessions organized by ERGA members:
Are you attending events or organizing sessions/workshops not listed here? Let us know—we can help you reach more attendees from the biodiversity genomics community!
Workshop: Genome(ics)‑enabled indicators for biodiversity targets
Website says Invitation Only - but please just reach out for an invitation!
Early Bird: 24.3.2026
28 June - 2 July | Copenhagen, Denmark
Evolutionary-informed management of vulnerable populations in a rapidly changing world
Molecular Evolution in the Era of Genetic Diversity Decline
New frontiers in sex evolution: evolutionary patterns and innovations
The evolution of recombination landscapes
From genomic graphs to evolutionary insights: standardising pangenomes for population inference
Early Bird: 31.3.2026
6-10 July | Leiden, The Netherlands
Workshop: Genomics-based Essential Biodiversity Variables for European biodiversity monitoring
Round table: Stakeholders' voices on biodiversity genomics:
Round Table: Local voices on genomics
Symposium: Conservation genomics-based decisions in a changing Europe
Early Bird: 30.4.2026
From the #ERGABlog
Useful links
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