Presentation of the Biogenoma-IEC Project Results and 2nd Congress of the Catalan Initiative for the Earth Biogenome Project: Genomics at the Centre of Biodiversity Preservation

On 11 and 12 November 2025, the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) hosted the presentation of the results of the Biogenoma-IEC Project and the 2nd Congress of the Catalan Initiative for the Earth Biogenome Project (CBP). The meeting brought together an increasingly broad and consolidated scientific community moving forward in a coordinated effort to generate reference genomes of eukaryotic species from the Catalan-speaking territories.

The event was opened by Teresa Cabré, President of the IEC, followed by inaugural remarks from Javier del Campo, Co-chair of the CBP, and Teresa Sanchis, Director General for Research of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Their interventions placed the project within the context of the biodiversity crisis, underscoring the urgent need for new tools to understand and preserve ecosystems. In this scenario, genomics emerges as an instrument capable of revealing ecological and evolutionary processes with a level of detail other approaches (such as population studies) cannot provide, thereby strengthening the scientific foundations of conservation.

The CBP Co-chair, Marta Riutort, presented the balance of the 2023–2025 period, highlighting that Phase I of the project has exceeded initial expectations. The original goal of sequencing 150 representative species from the territory has grown into an active catalogue of 199 species included under the umbrella of the Initiative, 138 of which (almost 70%) originate directly from the 34 projects funded by the Biogenoma-IEC programme.

In addition to the significant expansion of the species catalogue, Riutort emphasised the strengthening of technical capacities and the standardisation of protocols, as well as the consolidation of an interdisciplinary community integrating experts in taxonomy, genetics, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Her presentation underscored that the Initiative is now in a position to contribute meaningfully and continuously to major international sequencing programmes such as the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) and the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA).

The scientific sessions offered a broad overview of the progress achieved. The diversity of organisms studied (from reptiles and birds to endemic plants, Mediterranean corals, and subterranean fauna) demonstrates the cross-cutting nature of a project that bridges basic research with urgent territorial management needs. The contributions showcased advances both on the technical side (improved DNA extraction protocols, development of new bioinformatic workflows, and creation of genetic material collections) and on the biological side, with results revealing evolutionary patterns, unexpected genome structures, and data with direct conservation applications.

Among the concrete outcomes, several chromosome-level genomes stand out. A particularly significant example is the genome of the Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda), the first complete result derived directly from the Biogenoma-IEC programme. It has already revealed population differences between Atlantic and Mediterranean localities with implications for fisheries management. Several projects have also implemented and refined protocols for obtaining high–molecular-weight DNA in challenging species, and new assembly and annotation workflows have been developed, accelerating the Initiative’s data processing capacity.

Important conservation-impact results have also been generated, such as those concerning the balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), a critically endangered species. Its genome, the first produced under the CBP, has enabled the reconstruction of its evolutionary history and the identification of hybridisation processes that may have been crucial for the species’ survival. This knowledge is already informing new management models and highlighting the urgency of addressing threats such as accidental bycatch.

The scientific community also stressed that progress has not been without difficulties. Around 40% of the projects reported problems during DNA extraction (especially in small, recalcitrant, or threatened species), constituting a major technical bottleneck. Nevertheless, these challenges have helped identify areas for improvement and have generated technical knowledge that will be essential for future project phases.

One of the highlights of the congress was the keynote lecture by Rob Waterhouse, President of ERGA. His presentation offered a global perspective on the role of regional initiatives like the Catalan one within the international movement to sequence Earth’s eukaryotic species. Waterhouse emphasised the need to share knowledge, establish common standards, and reduce inequalities in access to knowledge and technology across Europe. He also highlighted the importance of small-scale projects, which feed the global genome catalogue and help make the scientific community more diverse, resilient, and inclusive. He stressed that genomics not only allows for the analysis of evolutionary relationships and population dynamics but also provides essential tools for understanding changes in biodiversity and generating real impact on conservation and the bioeconomy.

After the institutional closing remarks by the IEC’s Scientific Secretary, Miquel Canals, and an informal gathering in the IEC cloister, CBP members held a strategic discussion session to review achievements and define future perspectives. It became clear that the community has reached a level of maturity that allows it to look ambitiously toward the next project phase, which will focus on expanding the number of reference genomes, reinforcing systematic production, boosting scientific exploitation of the data, and increasing social impact through outreach and engagement with policymakers.

The congress concluded with a shared sense that the CBP, supported by the Biogenoma-IEC programme, has consolidated significant progress both in knowledge generation and capacity building. The Initiative reaffirmed itself as a coordinated and rigorous collaborative space with international projection. With a solid foundation and a cohesive community, the programme now enters a new stage aimed at expanding results, strengthening collaborations, and continuing to contribute to biodiversity preservation.