The Inter-European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) Working Group (WG) has been established by the European Commission with the aim to promote the use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) across the EURLs' networks, build NGS capacity within the EU and ensure liaison with the work of the EURLs and the work of EFSA and ECDC on the NGS mandate sent by the Commission. The WG includes all the EURLs operating in the field of the microbiological contamination of food and feed and is coordinated by the EURL for E. coli.
Membership of the Inter EURL WG on NGS:
EURL-E. coli (coordinator)
EURL-Listeria monocytogenes
EURL-Coagulase Positive Staphylococci
EURL-Salmonella
EURL-Campylobacter
EURL-Parasites
EURL-Antimicrobial Resistance
EURL-Food borne viruses
Observers: SANTE G4, EFSA, ECDC
The documents are meant to provide guidance to the laboratories in the area of application of NGS and have been produced by the WG with the aim of being diffused to all the networks of NRLs. These documents are aggregated in the Zenodo community Inter Biorisks-EURLs WG on NGS.
Overview of conducted and planned PTs – curated by EURL-Antimicrobial Resistance
Reference Whole Genome Sequencing collection – curated by EURL-Salmonella
Guidance document for WGS-laboratory procedures – curated by EURL-Parasites
Bioinformatics tools for basic analysis of Next Generation Sequencing data – curated by EURL-E. coli
Guidance document for Whole Genome Sequencing - cluster analysis – curated by EURL-Campylobacter
Guidance document for NGS-Benchmarking – curated by EURL-Listeria monocytogenes
Inventory of training supports – curated by EURL-Coagulase Positive Staphylococci
Survey on the use of NGS across the NRLs networks – curated by EURL-
E. coli
Supporting document for preparing high quality DNA for Whole Genome Sequencing – curated by EURL-E. coli
Conferences and seminars
Webinar: 'Proficiency Tests on Next Generation Sequencing: approaches in use at the European Union Reference Laboratories' (September 29, 2023)
This event, organized by the Inter EURLs WG on NGS, aimed at presenting the approaches used by EURLs AMR, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and VTEC for Proficiency Tests on NGS, to share experiences learnt and serve as guidelines for the organization of Proficiency Tests on NGS at the Member State level.
"Science meets Policy" conference 2023: Using Next Generation Sequencing to tackle foodborne threats (September 5-6, 2023).
"Science meets Policy" conference 2020: 'Modern technologies to enable response to crises: Next Generation Sequencing to tackle food-borne diseases (September 25, 2020) - find presentations below.