The topic of genomics has been part of the Community Life Sciences' agenda since 2020, in particular, following the launch of the Genomics Observatory: the first platform in Italy dedicated to mapping and monitoring the initiatives active in Italy in the field of genomic technologies and to promoting the development of a national genomics network.
The interest in the topic of genomics is linked to the increasing importance of this field of research in the Life Sciences, on which Italy, by networking and promoting the excellence present in the country, can aspire to compete internationally and make this industry a lever of growth for the country.
In the last 5 years, investments in the field of genomics have increased by 183%, reaching $4 billion in 2019. At the same time, the cost of genome sequencing has now reached about $700, a paltry figure compared to about $95 million in 2001.
In the field of genomics, Italy is the third country in Europe for number of publications, with more than 14,300 papers published (after Germany and the United Kingdom) and is first for growth rate of publications in genomics in the last 10 years (+41.1%), indicating a growing weight of Italian research in Europe.
From the first analyses carried out within the Genomics Observatory, it emerged that in Italy research on these topics is mainly located in three regions (Lombardy, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna) with a good propensity for collaboration between institutes. More specifically, the prevalent field of research is genetics, followed by clinical applications of genomics in oncology and neurology.
The last stage of the 2020 path of the Community Life Sciences aims to present the results of the analysis conducted in the first year of activity of the Genomics Observatory, integrating them with the point of view of experts and international best practices, involving centers of expertise from all over Italy, to then present the 2021 plan of activities.