Conference report: the third Bacterial Genome Sequencing Pan-European Network conference
Abstract The third Bacterial Genome Sequencing Pan-European Network conference, held in Engelberg, Switzerland (12–15 January 2026), brought together experts from six European countries to discuss the implementation of bacterial genome sequencing in clinical microbiology and public health. Key themes included regulatory frameworks (In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation, General Data Protection Regulation), standardization, quality control, data sharing, economic evaluation, and the integration of artificial intelligence and long-read sequencing into diagnostic workflows. Across presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, participants emphasized that successful implementation of genome sequencing requires more than technical capacity: it depends on robust validation, sustainable funding, interoperable data standards, ethical governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The meeting highlighted that sequencing should remain question-driven and clinically meaningful, balancing cost, turnaround time, and public health impact. Overall, the conference reinforced the need for coordinated European efforts to advance responsible, standardized, and sustainable genomic surveillance and diagnostics.
Authors
- Fanny Wegner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4348-5872)
- Hege Vangstein Aamot (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3176-8560)
- David Nestor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8904-600X)
- Martin Sundqvist (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7928-9555)
- Sofia Brunet
- Oliver Nolte (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1761-0812)
- Claire Bertelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0550-8981)
- Adrian Egli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3564-8603)
- David W. Eyre (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5095-6367)
- Gilbert Greub (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9529-3317)
- André Kahles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3411-0692)
- Paula Mölling (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1143-9105)
- Maria Lind Karlberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1788-2295)
- Mário Ramirez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4084-6233)
- Jacques Schrenzel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5464-7764)
- Janis Rogenmoser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6586-8664)
- Yukino Gütlin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2933-2001)
- Nina Liuta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7159-3750)
- Kira Waagner Birkeland
- Helena M B Seth-Smith
- Daniel Rodriguez Rozo
- Alban Ramette
- Ashley Rooney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2874-8120)
- Tim Roloff
- Derren Ready
- Christian G Giske
- Adriána Liptáková
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (CH)
- National Security Agency (US)
- Public Health Agency of Sweden (SE)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Innlandet Hospital Trust (NO)
- Örebro University (SE)
- Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (CH)
- Akershus University Hospital (NO)
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SE)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- University Hospital of Geneva (CH)
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology (CZ)
- Geneva College (US)
- University of Lausanne (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- FEMS Microbiology Letters
- Published
- 2026-09-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnag099
- Primary Topic
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00