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Committees SSP - Sampling & Sample Processing samples@erga-biodiversity.eu More > DAC - Data Analysis Committee analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Media & Communications media@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Social Justice Committee socialjustice@erga-biodiversity.eu More > SAC - Sequencing and Assembly Committee assembly@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ITIC - IT & Infrastructure Committee itinfra@erga-biodiversity.eu More > CS - Citizen Science citizenscience@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Annotation Committee annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ELSI - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues elsi@erga-biodiversity.eu More > TKT - Training and Knowledge Transfer training@erga-biodiversity.eu More >

media@erga-biodiversity.eu < Back Media & Communications media@erga-biodiversity.eu The Media & Communications Committee is responsible for communicating ERGA's goals, actions, and accomplishments internally and externally. Our committee produces newsletters, press releases, blog-posts, manages the website, and maintains social media accounts. We are responsible for developing communication strategies, implementing plans for publicising ERGA events and activities, and ensuring that all relevant information is disseminated in a timely and accurate manner. It is our responsibility to raise awareness about ERGA both inside and outside the scientific community, in order to encourage more people to support and join our community and contribute to our mission. Coordinators Christian de Guttry Luísa Marins Steering Committee Alice Mouton Jan Zwilling Follow #ERGA ! Stay connected! Follow us on social media for updates and insights. 🌍 https://linktr.ee/erga_biodiversity #Genomes for #Biodiversity ERGA News #36 - March 2026 ERGA Newsletter Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics Press Releases The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA

Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) The Biodiversity Genomics Europe Project has the overriding aim of accelerating the use of genomic science to enhance understanding of biodiversity, monitor biodiversity change, and guide interventions to address its decline. The BGE Project comprises activities focused on DNA Barcoding (Barcoding Stream) and Reference Genome Generation (Genomes Stream) for eukaryotic species across Europe, bringing together two European networks: iBOL Europe and the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA). The ERGA Stream of BGE The Genomes Stream of BGE, as the European node of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) , aims to establish and implement large-scale biodiversity genomic data generation pipelines to accelerate the production and accessibility of reference-quality, complete genome sequences for species across the whole of European biodiversity. The output will support applications in the fields of: biodiversity characterisation, conservation, and biomonitoring. The Genomes Stream focuses on generating reference-quality genomes from critical European biodiversity, biodiversity hotspots, pollinators, and a selection of applied case studies. BGE-ERGA Stream Work Packages: BGE-ERGA News Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics From Peaks to Parks: Citizen Scientists Join Bulgaria’s Genomic Quest for Biodiversity Wings, Bees, and Barcodes: Citizen Scientists Support Pollinator Genomics in Cyprus Partner Institutions Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research University of Lausanne University of Florence Cibio Genomescope 6 7 8 600x600logos_hackathon_sponsors_logos2 bge_erga-inst_LOGOS(7) CSIC University of Oslo 14 16 bge_erga-inst_LOGOS(2) bge_erga-inst_LOGOS(3) Sanger Earlham Institute bge_erga-inst_LOGOS(5) bge_erga-inst_LOGOS(6) Discover the whole BGE network

elsi@erga-biodiversity.eu < Back ELSI - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues elsi@erga-biodiversity.eu The Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) Committee is committed to assisting ERGA in understanding and implementing international guidelines and standards and regional d Digital Sequence Information (DSI) frameworks. Monitoring ethical and legal issues, the committee plays a role in developing best practices for access and benefit sharing, data governance, and wider policy discussions. In practice, ELSI’s efforts include establishing governance frameworks for genomic data collection, management, and sharing in order to ensure that ERGA’s work is consistent with continually changing regulations and ethical standards. The committee supports compliance by providing practical assistance to ERGA researchers through resources, training sessions, and policy insights. Central to this is the committee's dedication to transparency, building trust, and encouraging ethical research in biodiversity genomics. (V.3.0 01.12.2025) Chair Jennifer Leonard Coordinator Christian de Guttry Steering Committee Rebekah Oomen Robert Waterhouse Elena Buzan Amber Hartman Scholz Camila Mazzoni Resources ▶️ Webinar: A Primer on Science Policy for Biodiversity Research ERGA News #36 - March 2026 ERGA Newsletter Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics Press Releases The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA

OUR PARTNER PROJECTS ERGA is the pan-European partner of the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) Regional Partners: French Atlas of Marine Genomes (ATLASea) Earth Biogenome Project Norge (EBP-Nor) Swedish Earth BioGenome Project Worldwide Partners:

analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu < Back DAC - Data Analysis Committee analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu The Data Analysis Committee (DAC) aims at fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing in genomic data analysis among ERGA members, and enhancing the development of applications in genomics. DAC has the goal to develop and implement standard protocols for downstream data analysis, providing high standard frameworks and pipelines to tackle research questions with different groups of organisms. Additionally, together with the Training and Transfer of Knowledge committee (TKT), DAC is responsible for providing training opportunities to the ERGA and general scientific communities through the organization of workshops and conferences. Finally, DAC aspires to improve translational communication with stakeholders and citizen scientists by actively engaging with the Citizen Science committee (CS committee) activities, to influence species management and protect earth’s biodiversity (V.1.0 02.05.2023) Chair Tereza Manousaki Coordinator João Pimenta Leader of the Population Genomics Subcommittee Mari Jose Ruiz Leader of the Phylogenomics Subcommittee Pascalia Kapli Iker Irisarri Leader of the Comparative Genomics Subcommittee Toni Gabaldón Leader of the Functional Genomics Subcommittee Steven Van Belleghem Steering Committee José Melo-Ferreira Elena Buzan (CS committee representative) Alice Mouton (TKT committee representative) Joan Pons Committee Resources 💡ERGA Knowledge Hub ERGA BioGenome Analysis and Applications seminars DAC Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?feature=share&list=PL4qmCfIUT9K-NP_HBtUBH_d6ro3A9BLMe ERGA News #36 - March 2026 ERGA Newsletter Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics Press Releases The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA

annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu < Back Annotation Committee annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu Annotations transform genomes into larger sources of knowledge and offer critical added value to genome assemblies. They serve as a direct link between the genome sequence and function and facilitate comparisons across taxa, both on a large and small scale. The ERGA Annotation Committee is composed of researchers and bioinformaticians who have experience in using computational methods to predict the structural and functional composition of whole genomes. We strive to understand and use the most advanced analytical methods for annotating genomes, to develop new methods for annotation and its evaluation, and to align with the standards set by the EBP. We are committed to promoting the best possible annotation pipelines are available to and used by the annotation community and new researchers entering this field. The committee meets regularly to review the progress of the annotation in ERGA-genomes, discuss current issues and challenges, and propose changes to improve the annotation process. (V.1.0 16.05.2023) Chair Alice Dennis Coordinator Christian de Guttry Steering Committee Aureliano Bombarely Hugues Roest Crollius Henrik Lantz Fergal Martin Florian Maumus Committee Resources Structural Annotation Guide Pre-trained AUGUSTUS models 💡ERGA Knowledge Hub Pipelines BRAKER3 Protein-Coding Annotation Pipeline ERGA News #36 - March 2026 ERGA Newsletter Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics Press Releases The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA

The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approxima HOME A GENOME ATLAS OF EUROPEAN BIODIVERSITY The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approximately one fifth of the ~200,000 European species at risk of extinction, we need to act fast and together to generate high-quality complete genome resources in large scale. Science needs genomes to understand biodiversity, biodiversity needs to be understood to be protected. HIGHLIGHTS Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA ERGA News #35 - February 2026 EVENTS Conferences 2026 - Let's connect! ATLASea: progress on sequencing marine biodiversity Sampling for genomics studies across the tree of life Open to Collaborate ERGA is committed to the development of new modes of collaboration, engagement, and partnership with Indigenous peoples for the care and stewardship of past and future heritage collections. Calls OUR MISSION 1/3 1/3 1/3 1/3 WHAT WE DO Establishing high-quality reference genomes requires an interdisciplinary workflow From species to genomes … and beyond. From species selection to data analysis, the process of creating reference genomes for the entire biodiversity will involve a deep synergy among museums, research institutes, universities, sequencing centres, bioinformatics and computational groups. Citizens will also play an important role supporting the inclusion of all types of species. WHAT WE AIM FOR Creating and consolidating a collaborative and interdisciplinary network of scientists across Europe and associated countries Connecting relevant infrastructure across Europe following a distributed model that can dynamically increase Propagating guidelines for state-of-the-art genome establishment through training and knowledge transfer Next La comunidad ERGA tiene como objetivo optimizar la producción de genomas de referencia mediante el desarrollo y el intercambio de protocolos y flujos de trabajo, brindando acceso a recursos y apoyando el desarrollo de capacidades a través de la transferencia de conocimientos - para mejorar y ampliar el uso de datos genómicos para la protección y restauración de la biodiversidad Next OUR PROJECTS ERGA Pilot The Pilot Project was launched to demonstrate the feasibility of continent-wide collaboration. It was established, funded, and driven entirely by its members. Read more >> Biodiversity Genomics Europe ERGA has recently been funded as part of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project through the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action. Read more ERGA Community Genomes Are you planning or developing a reference genome project of a European species? Join the growing family of ERGA Community G enomes! Read mo re “Species conservation is urgent and demands deep knowledge of the genetic features of their populations. A coordinated effort to generate complete reference genomes for all European biodiversity, such as what we are proposing with ERGA, can give us the whole picture about the adaptive differences and extent of a need for genetic rescue among populations and species.” Dr. Camila Mazzoni, Founding Chair, ERGA. Research Group Leader Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin, Germany

Frequently Asked Questions about ERGA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What is ERGA? The European Reference Genome Atlas (https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/)is a community of peers working to advance the generation of reference genomes for European Biodiversity. ERGA members share a passion for biodiversity and see reference genomes as key resources that can boost our understanding of biodiversity and inform conservation strategies. Our community is made up of researchers with very diverse expertise and backgrounds working in the European continent or interested in European biodiversity. ERGA also represents the European node of the global Earth BioGenome Project,(https://www.earthbiogenome.org/) which has the goal of coordinating the generation of reference genomes for all of Earth’s Biodiversity. What are ERGA’s main goals? ERGA’s Core Objectives are to: • Create and consolidate a collaborative and interdisciplinary network of scientists across Europe and associated countries to deliver reference genome sequences; • Connect relevant infrastructures across Europe following a distributed model for genome sequence generation and analysis that can increase dynamically; • Develop guidelines and best practices for state-of-the-art reference genome sequence generation, and disseminate them through training and knowledge transfer; • Connect BioGenome initiatives working on European species to each other and with ERGA’s own initiatives to maximise synergies. How can I get involved and contribute to ERGA? • Firstly, please register as an ERGA member.(https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/register) Membership is free and will ensure you receive our monthly newsletter and information about upcoming events and meetings. • Once you become a member, you will have easy access to ERGA meetings. Our monthly plenary meetings (https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/erga-plenary-meetings)are a good starting point to get to know the community. • If you are interested or need support with a specific step of the genome generation process, you might want to interact with or even join one of the open ERGA committees.(https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/community-contacts#committees) Each committee has their own way of operating and a monthly meeting slot. If you want to participate in any of the committees just send an email to the committee’s address to be added to their communication channels and learn the best opportunities to contribute. • If you have an ongoing genome project of any European eukaryotic species, you can associate it with ERGA as an ERGA Community Genome. Check this page (https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/erga-satellite-genomes)for more information on this procedure. What are the benefits of joining ERGA? If you are a researcher working on biodiversity genomics, joining and following ERGA’s activities can bring many advantages, including: • Taking an active role in the generation of high-quality reference genomes for biodiversity conservation; • Networking - through our network you will be able to interact and collaborate with colleagues from all across Europe working on topics related to your research; • Get support from the ERGA Committees - as a member, you have direct access to groups of specialists in all steps of the genome production workflow; • Go beyond science - Besides producing reference genomes and connecting researchers, ERGA is also committed to reaching out beyond academia to disseminate the importance of biodiversity and the role of genomics; • From theory to practice - Lead the application of genomics technologies to biodiversity research and conservation directly in the field. What is the policy of ERGA on data? Check our Open Data Policy.(https://zenodo.org/records/10785625) This covers key requirements and recommendations regarding the collection, processing, storage, and publishing of metadata and data related to the production of high-quality reference genomes. If you have questions or concerns about our data policy, please reach out to the IT & Infrastructure committee at itinfra@erga-biodiversity.eu.(mailto:itinfra@erga-biodiversity.eu) How can I connect with other members of ERGA in my country? To interact with the ERGA Community in your country, please contact your country’s Council representative through the email available here (https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/community-contacts#council-of-country-reps)and ask about any local initiatives already in place and how to engage. If your country is not yet represented in the ERGA council, we are happy to welcome new countries and hope to have representation from all European countries! Please refer to the Governance Document (https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/resources-1)for more details on how to join the ERGA Council as a representative of your country. How can I get in touch if I have other questions? You can reach out to ERGA through many channels. Here are some ways to get in touch with us: • Email us at contact@erga-biodiversity.eu • You can join the ERGA Keybase team (https://keybase.io/team/erga.listserv)and ask your question in one of the many channels (instructions for this are provided when you sign up to become a member) • Social Media: You can also follow us on X @erga_biodiv (https://twitter.com/erga_biodiv)(previously Twitter), ERGA LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/erga-european-reference-genome-atlas)and Mastodon.(https://genomic.social/@erga_biodiv)

ERGA Calendar

training@erga-biodiversity.eu < Back TKT - Training and Knowledge Transfer training@erga-biodiversity.eu The Training and Knowledge Transfer (TKT) committee aims to support the design and implementation of learning and skill-sharing activities in the field of biodiversity genomics research. Our committee actively engages with all ERGA committees to collect, promote, and develop training materials, including webinars, workshops and activities, and make them available to the ERGA community. We work with the ERGA community to connect experts interested with members wishing to learn new skills and improve their knowledge of the chain of steps required for reference genome generation. We also connect and support members to collaboratively develop funding proposals for financing TKT-related activities, and we coordinate the programme for the monthly ERGA Plenary meetings. V.1.0 02.05.2023 Chair Camilla Reginatto De Pierri Coordinator Christian de Guttry Steering Committee Alice Mouton Lino Ometto Nadège Guiglielmon Robert Waterhouse Spiros Papakostas Jean-François Flot ERGA News #36 - March 2026 ERGA Newsletter Connections Booklet: Discovering Biodiversity Genomics Press Releases The Biodiversity Genomics alphabet 1: DNA

Social Justice Committee Social Justice Committee Definition Generating high-quality eukaryotic reference genomes is transforming our understanding of biology and evolution. The process of developing this resource so that it has long-term utility is complex and intricate, requiring not only technical and scientific expertise but also the integration of social justice principles. These data will have a significant impact on society, making the incorporation of social justice principles essential. In the ERGA community research setting, social justice means treating everyone fairly and ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds can benefit from our research. Key components of this process include diversity in research participation, fair distribution of research benefits, adherence to high ethical standards, dissemination of research findings to a broad audience, and fostering an inclusive and supportive research environment. The ERGA Social Justice Committee is dedicated to embedding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles into every aspect of eukaryotic genome production, from sampling to results dissemination. This committee serves as an ethical compass for ERGA members, guiding the community to ensure that every step in the genome generation pipeline is conducted with social responsibility and respect for diversity. We aim to ensure both scientific rigor and social responsibility in our guidelines for generating high-quality reference genomes by integrating these principles. Authors in alphabetical order Chiara Bortoluzzi, Christian de Guttry, James Fleming, Fabrizio Ghiselli, Jennifer Leonard, Rebekah Oomen Objectives Promoting Diversity In ERGA, diversity is multifaceted, encompassing the composition of research teams with individuals from diverse backgrounds and expertise, the variety of taxa sequenced and their geographical origins, as well as the involvement of stakeholders and citizen scientists. This approach ensures research methodologies and outcomes reflect nature's extensive diversity. Ensuring Equity Equity in ERGA is about providing equal access to resources and opportunities across all individuals, communities, countries, and research institutions. It particularly aims to include those historically underrepresented or marginalised. Transfer of Knowledge is integral to this effort, ensuring broad participation in this research. Advancing Inclusion Inclusion involves creating a research environment that values and welcomes the contributions of all, aiming to promote a setting in which every participant can thrive and deliver their maximum potential. To achieve this, we focus on enhanced communication tools, aiming to ensure everyone feels comfortable and supported. Upholding Justice ensuring genomic research processes are available to interested researchers. It also means recognizing and addressing traditional social inequalities affecting current research practices. Application in High-Quality Reference Genome Generation Diversity Sequencing: Allocate sequencing capacity to underrepresented taxa to broaden biodiversity knowledge. Collaboration: Establish diverse consortia to ensure broad geographic representation in genomic research initiatives. Promote gender equality in research teams and leadership positions within genomic projects. Outreach: Develop educational materials on genomics tailored to different academic backgrounds, ages, cultures, and languages. Equity Sample collection : Ensure equitable access to the benefits from genetic resources for source countries and communities, in line with the Access and Benefit Sharing framework (ABS) and the Nagoya Protocol. Ensuring, where possible, equitable access to the field for researchers with diverse needs. Wet lab: Partner with local labs in sample-origin countries to build capacity and share expertise. Sequencing : Offer training programs and protocol sharing in sequencing techniques for scientists from all backgrounds. Genome assembly: Provide open-source software and pipelines together with cloud-based computational resources for researchers who need access to bioinformatic support and computing power. Publishing : Encourage open access availability, either through open access publication or deposition of versions of papers in open access repositories. Technology transfer: Facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge genomic technologies to laboratories in low-income countries; Provide legal and technical assistance to navigate regulations. Inclusion Sample collection: Implement informed consent protocols that respect Indigenous and local communities' rights and traditions. Empower the efforts of local taxonomic experts alongside those communities throughout the sample collection process. Publishing: Adopt open-access policies for publishing results, making information freely available to the community as soon as possible. Data sharing: Facilitate and encourage the rapid sharing of data in global databases that are freely accessible and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), promoting data democracy. Capacity building: Establish mentorship programs connecting established scientists with emerging European-based researchers. In this way, we aim to encourage the development of a new generation of scientists with a representative and diverse mix of abilities, genders, ethnicities, cultural and economic backgrounds, and geographical origins. Community engagement: Acknowledging the diverse contributions made beyond those in academia - universities/ museums/ research institutions - particularly those from local communities and underrepresented groups at all steps of the process from sampling to genome generation and appropriately recognizing their participation. Outreach: Host public science events in biodiversity genomics in diverse geographical locations to spread awareness and foster interest. Ensuring scientific events are organised in a way that is inclusive and accessible, both physically and socially. Social Justice Relevance: Acknowledging that both research and its outcomes could disproportionately affect specific communities within Europe, we commit to responsibly using outreach, engagement, and communication channels to center local communities impacted by biodiversity loss and anthropogenic environmental change, which are directly addressed in the ERGA remit. Personal data sharing: Ensure that data-sharing practices respect the privacy and rights of individuals and communities represented in the data. Ethics: Regularly review external bodies' ethical guidelines to address emerging issues related to social justice in genomics and strive to position ERGA to be as inclusive as possible. Sustainability: Research and implement sustainable laboratory and computational practices to reduce waste and energy consumption; Evaluate the long-term environmental impact of genomic research activities and develop strategies to mitigate negative effects. Conclusion Achieving the broad goals of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in genomic research presents significant challenges. One major hurdle is the intrinsic resource and infrastructure disparities across different European regions. This discrepancy limits access to advanced genomic technologies, computational resources, and skilled personnel. This widens the gap between well-funded institutions in Strengthening countries and less-funded ones in Widening countries. It is also imperative to note that the historical underrepresentation of some groups and species in genomic studies poses ethical and logistical challenges when redressing these imbalances. The complexities of integrating diverse biological samples, especially from Indigenous and marginalised communities, require sensitive, informed consent processes and benefit-sharing arrangements that respect both legal frameworks and ethical considerations. Furthermore, incorporating a wide range of species and their geographical origins into research necessitates a collaborative effort, which geopolitical, financial, and linguistic barriers can hamper. There are as many solutions to these challenges as there are issues themselves. Fostering international collaborations sharing resources, knowledge, and skills is a key strategy for building capacity in underrepresented regions and marginalised groups. Initiatives like cloud-based computational resources, open-source software, and open-access publishing models can democratise access to genomic research tools and findings. Furthermore, engaging local communities in the research process, from planning through to publication, ensures that projects are culturally sensitive and ethically sound, while also facilitating the equitable sharing of benefits. Education and outreach, tailored to diverse audiences, can raise awareness and foster a more inclusive next generation of genomic researchers. Ultimately, the path to achieving Social Justice in genomic research is ongoing and requires a commitment to continuous reflection, adaptation, and action towards these ideals.