Wednesday, 29 November 2023 Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan is a new Executive board member of the largest global consortium in the field of genomics (ERGA)

Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan, from the Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT, has become a member of the Executive board of the European Reference Consortium Genome Atlas (ERGA), which consists of more than 1000 European researchers in the field of genomics - currently the largest global consortium in this field.  

Dr. Bužan, who is also the coordinator of the Slovenian consortium ERGA, was elected by the votes of the representatives of all European countries. She says that her new role represents a big responsibility and obligation, which will have an impact on the University of Primorska itself, and put it on the map of visibility in Europe. 

“As a newly appointed member of the European Reference Consortium Genome Atlas (ERGA), I will seek to expand collaboration with other projects and initiatives from all around the world, who strive to expand the catalogue of  reference genomes and its applicability.  The cooperation is not just a scientific endeavour, but also a work, which brings together various experts in the field of biodiversity protection, from different fields and backgrounds,” sums up her new role, prof. dr. Elena Bužan.   

ERGA actively responds to the current threats to biodiversity by pursuing and researching genomic biodiversity. Recent data shows that one-fifth of European species are at risk of extinction, therefore understanding the insight of the genetic basis that shapes each species is crucial for a successful understanding and protection of biodiversity. 

To achieve the goal, the consortium (ERGA) cooperates with various governmental and non-governmental organizations and connects with the locals through various activities, which was also pointed out by Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan. 

“By establishing strong partnerships, we at ERGA aim to create a synergistic environment where knowledge, resources and innovation in the field of genomic biodiversity research are freely and efficiently shared. This collaborative approach is key to tackling the complex challenges of genomic research and achieving breakthroughs, which were previously thought to be impossible,”she added. 

European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) is the hub of the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP), which aims to slow down the extinction of species and the decline of biodiversity worldwide using genetic and genomic approaches. 

We sincerely congratulate Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan for her achievement!