The project’s purpose is to support the implementation of the declaration of cooperation ‘Towards access to at least 1 million sequenced genomes in the EU by 2022', known as the 1+ Million Genomes initiative (1+MG). Today, 22 signatory countries work together to ensure that the objectives are met by 2022, to ultimately improve disease prevention, personalised treatment and clinical research.

Until now, Member States have been working to initiate these efforts through ad-hoc working groups, but without the benefit of a formal coordination project to offer structure and international collaboration. The B1MG project provides the required coordination, support and expertise to move ‘beyond’ the 1M genome target and ‘beyond’ the 21 signatory countries of the original initiative.

B1MG strives to bring together key infrastructures, sequencing projects, member state representatives, and the voices of diverse stakeholders — including patients. By doing so, the project will guarantee the delivery of the 1+MG initiative objectives, such as ensuring data quality, high exchange standards, secure access protocols and excellent legal guidance. 

Within B1MG, the CNAG-CRG leads WP3 which is on Standards and Quality Guidelines and co-leads WP4 on Federated Secure Cross-border Technical Infrastructure.

The three-year project will have a significant impact on society, as it will offer clear guidance to implement personalised medicine, at a local, regional and national scale. Personalised medicine, which considers people’s genetic makeup, can yield notable socio-economic benefits:

• - More efficient national health systems
• - Faster and more accurate diagnosis
• - Better health
• - Better quality of life
• - Increased life expectancy

More information: https://b1mg-project.eu/