Europe Reads DNA: Genomic Projects Shaping the Future

Europe Reads DNA: Genomic Projects Shaping the Future

Breakthroughs that enable easy sequencing of large portions of the genome represent a major milestone in modern medicine. They provide physicians with essential guidance for selecting effective therapies tailored to individual patients, while also helping to minimize the risks of adverse effects from inappropriate treatments. Genomic data can also support advanced diagnostic methods and, importantly, enable preventive measures for at-risk population groups.

Foundations of Personalized Medicine

A turning point in genomics was the successful completion of the Human Genome Project, which ran from 1990 to 2003 and aimed to fully sequence the human genome and identify all present genes. Its completion laid the foundation for personalized medicine and modern healthcare, enabling treatment selection based on a patient’s genetic profile.

This project was followed by numerous others aiming to explore and apply the knowledge gained from the human DNA sequence. One such initiative is the European “1+ Million Genomes” project, which seeks to build infrastructure for cross-border access to the genomic data of over one million Europeans.

Due to its scale, this initiative ranks among the largest of its kind globally. It involves 25 EU member states, including the Czech Republic, as well as the UK and Norway.

Main Goals of the European Project

One of the core goals of the “1+ Million Genomes” initiative is to establish suitable technical infrastructure that enables secure access to human genomic data across member states.

Equally important is the development of ethical and legal frameworks within individual countries and the subsequent integration of this data into personalized healthcare systems.

From Launch to Implementation

The project, launched in 2018 and scheduled to conclude in 2027, is divided into two phases: 2018–2022 and 2023–2027.

The first phase, under the banner of “Beyond 1 Million Genomes,” focused on creating a strategy for implementation, coordination among participating countries, and setting standards for managing genomic data. Tools were also developed to assess each country’s readiness to integrate genomic data into healthcare systems.

With the launch of the “Genomic Data Infrastructure” project in 2022, the initiative entered its second phase. Its goal is the full-scale implementation of the system and creation of a financially and technically sustainable infrastructure that will support the European digital health strategy in the long term.

By 2026, it is expected that up to 15 European countries—including the Czech Republic—will have fully functional infrastructures for managing genomic and other health-related data. In the Czech Republic, implementation of the “1+ Million Genomes” goals is overseen by the Czech Genomic Platform.

“Genome of Europe”

In late 2024, the “Genome of Europe” project was launched to build a reference database of at least 100,000 genomes from healthy European individuals. This database will later serve as a comparative tool in the analysis of patient data and in basic and applied research into new therapeutic strategies.

The Czech Republic is also actively participating. For instance, in mid-2025, sample collection from volunteers began at CEITEC Masaryk University in Brno.

Editorial Team, Medscope.pro

Sources:

1. 1+ Million Genomes Initiative. Available at: www.1mg.cz

2. Shaping Europe’s Digital Future. Available at: www.digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/1-million-genomes

3. European Genomic Data Infrastructure. Available at: www.gdi.onemilliongenomes.eu