21 January 2026
New BGE paper: The Challenge of Getting High-Quality Genomes
There are complex “upstream” challenges involved in generating high-quality reference genomes, essential for modern biodiversity research. Drawing on the practical experiences of the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) community, a new BGE publication, “From Permits to Samples: Addressing Key Challenges for High-Quality Reference Genome Generation in Europe” highlights that, while sequencing technologies have advanced, the logistical steps leading up to sequencing remain a significant bottleneck. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive guide for researchers around a number of areas, covering the critical workflow from navigating legal permits to the physical handling of samples, ensuring that biodiversity genomics initiatives can scale effectively across regions and taxa.
Following a “workflow-based” order, the article focuses first in the intricate landscape of ethics and permits, particularly within the European context. Next, the interest shifts to the physical collection of samples and the rigorous planning that is needed to ensure the viability of the material for sequencing and the prevention of DNA/RNA degradation.
Other areas of interest in the paper include the challenges involved in the extraction of nucleic acids -e.g. where standard commercial kits may fail-, the value of biobanks and natural history collections as sources of genomic material, and the need for close collaboration between field biologists, taxonomists, legal experts, and bioinformaticians.
