In the steps of BGE
Building on Success. Expanding a Vision
In the steps of BGE
BGE+ builds on the achievements of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project (2023-26), a pioneering initiative that demonstrated that coordinated, transnational efforts can overcome logistical, technical, and policy challenges, creating operational pipelines for sampling, sequencing, data management, and application across Europe.
Systemic Impact
If BGE established the foundations, BGE+ will scale them up, aiming to create the foundations of a future European biodiversity genomics infrastructure. This will transform the current collection of individual projects into a coordinated European capability for applying biodiversity genomics.
BGE+ will deliver wider, more solid collaboration across European countries; transnational opportunities for researchers and institutions; new genomic tools and workflows; long-term services and infrastructure for research; and stronger links between genomics applications and policy.
Scientific Impact
BGE+ has a marked infrastructural character, but that does not mean that production of new barcodes and genomes will stop. In fact, a key part of BGE+ is providing financial support to researchers, institutions, and organisations through competitive open calls (cascade funding). This mechanism will, in turn, expand participation, and connect distributed biodiversity genomics initiatives across Europe.
Financial support will cover topics such as expanding DNA barcode and genome reference libraries; addressing knowledge gaps; developing tools, standards, and best practices; or improving data quality and interoperability.
