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under name Biodiversity genomics Europe (BGE) 33 European Institutions aim to map all European species by creating species barcodes. A barcode is a piece of DNA that you can easily identify and track species. To achieve this goal, BGE combines two research areas: genomics and biodiversity research.

Europe leads the way in DNA research

Genomics is the science of genomics, or the entire genetic material in a cell or organism. This science provides important new tools for answering questions related to biodiversity loss. DNA research is our best hope for successfully mapping the relationships between ecosystems, species, and individuals, and for predicting how individuals and groups will respond to environmental change.

The Horizon Europe-funded giant BGE project brings together the leading practitioners of basic DNA technologies in Europe, both for DNA coding and genome sequencing. By doing so, the consortium will simplify the dissemination of these methods across Europe, fundamentally changing nature conservation research and policy.

BGE Project Director Dimitris Korias of Naturalis Biodiversity Center said: “This vital European alliance brings together diverse expertise and infrastructure, in the field of two emerging technological streams. With the power of DNA barcodes and genomics, we can better understand and conserve biodiversity, providing the means to To address some of the biggest challenges facing the planet today.”

DNA coding

DNA bar coding uses short pieces of DNA to distinguish between species; Just like the barcodes that distinguish products in the supermarket. Combined with modern genetic technologies, DNA bar coding has the potential to dramatically accelerate the inventory of life on Earth and lay the foundation for global conservation.

genome sequence

Genome sequencing is a technique that determines the letter order of the entire genetic material in a species. This allows scientists to identify and identify genes and other features of genetic material. This creates a comparative outline of the genetic code of the organism. This provides a complete picture of how biological systems function and how species respond and adapt to environmental changes.

more information

• The project Biodiversity genomics Europe (BGE) worth €21 million is co-financed by the European Commission, as well as the governments of the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The main European project will run until 2026. It will bring together organizations from the BIOSCAN Europe DNA Coding Consortium (104 partner institutions in 29 countries) and the ERGA Genome Sequencing Consortium (709 members in 37 countries).
• For more information or interviews, please contact José Alonso (in English) at [email protected].

text: Natural Biodiversity Center
Photo: David Levine, Wellcome Sanger Institute