EASIGEN-DS project officially launched

On February 12–13, 2025, the EASIGEN-DS project officially launched with a kick-off meeting in Barcelona, Spain. This meeting marked the beginning of the three-year design study aimed at developing the EASIGEN Research Infrastructure. The two-day event was crucial to discuss key topics and align project priorities to achieve the goal of EASIGEN-DS: establishing a pan-European network of institutions providing innovative services and cutting-edge technologies in genomics.

The EASIGEN-DS event brought the consortium partners together and included the participation of highly relevant speakers to the project. Among them, the Project Officer, Francesco Gatto, from the European Research Executive Agency (REA), provided valuable advice on project development and the ESFRI delegate Inmaculada Figueroa, shared her insights on the Research Infrastructures (RIs) lifecycle. Guest speakers from active RIs were also invited to provide their insights: Anton Ussi, Operations and the Finance Director from EATRIS, Pau Ferrer, co-founder of IBISBA, and Eija Juurola, Director General of ACTRIS, shared their valuable experiences in establishing large-scale European RIs.

Coordinated by the Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG, Spain), the EASIGEN-DS project brings together 13 premier genomics institutions from across Europe, that collectively offer cutting-edge genomic technologies to the clinical and research community. Collaborating as National Genomic nodes:

• From Belgium, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven)
• From Croatia, the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI)
• From Estonia, the University of Tartu (UTartu)
• From France, the Commissariat a l´Energie Atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA-CNRGH/FG)
• From Germany, the Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU), Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin and two associated partners: Max Delbrück Centrum für Molekulare Medizin in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft (MDC) and Deutsches Krebsforschungzentrum Heidelberg (DKFZ)
• From Sweden, the Kungliga Tekniska Hoegskolan (KTH) and two associated partners: Stockholm University (SU) and Uppsala University (UU)

In addition to these 13 institutions, the EASIGEN-DS Consortium includes partners with crucial expertise:

• From France with expertise in bioethics, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III (UT3)
• From Germany with expertise in boosting innovation, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Ang. (FhG-ISI)
• From Italy with expertise in applied economics, (CSIL)
• From Spain with expertise in data management, Fundació Centre de Regulacio Genòmica (CRG)

Joining efforts, the EASIGEN-DS consortium will develop a Technology Platform providing genomic data generation and analysis services, and a Support Platform offering training, standardisation tools, and support to facilities across Europe, including those in widening countries. To develop an excellent scientific, technological and operational framework for the future infrastructure, EASIGEN-DS will also conduct landscape studies, stakeholder consultations, community surveys, as well as proof-of-concept activities. In parallel, it will seek support and commitment from national and EU stakeholders, as well as user communities.

The new infrastructure that EASIGEN-DS designs will strengthen the European Research Area, promote connections within the ESFRI landscape, and boost an innovative biotechnology-based industry. Additionally, it will address the ongoing challenge of Europe’s fragmented genomics capacity by creating a much-needed robust integrated framework.

This project has received funding of € 2.999.266,00 from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement No HORIZON-INFRA-2024-DEV-01.

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