European Pathogenomics Network Adopts Common Research Agenda

A European Union initiative has launched a research consortium that will concentrate on understanding the genome of pathogenic microorganisms (a new field called pathogenomics) and exploiting this knowledge to advance the cause of disease control.

The program to broaden the research effort on pathogenic microorganisms officially began in 2005 when the European Commission committed 6.7 millions euros (about US$9 million) over five years to form the European Network of Excellence EuroPathoGenomics (NoE EPG). The network comprises 37 scientific laboratories from 13 different countries with headquarters at the University of Würzburg (Germany).

Since its establishment only two years ago, NoE EPG has completed a central virtual cell strain collection, which allows for the rapid searching of suitable data. Furthermore, the EuroPathoGenomics Graduate Academy (EGA) has been established, with more than 50 students participating in a number of training programs. The members of the network have now adopted a common research agenda, which lays out the core scientific challenges for the years to come and places emphasis on two aims in particular. In the future, researchers will focus more on the interaction between pathogens and hosts, rather than exclusively analyzing disease-causing microorganisms in isolation. In addition, microbiologists will call upon the expertise of bioinformatic experts to better manage the multitude of data that is produced in modern genomic research.

Another goal of the agenda is better cooperation between basic scientists and clinicians. "Our scientific language is not well understood by clinicians. We should learn more from each other,” said Dr. Werner Goebel, professor of molecular microbiology at the University of Würzburg (Germany).


Related Links:
European Network of Excellence EuroPathoGenomics
University of Würzburg