Genomics England has become a Core Funder of GA4GH

9 Jul 2026

A longstanding Organisational Member and Driver Project of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), Genomics England now builds upon its support of GA4GH by becoming a Core Funder. This partnership will accelerate the global infrastructure needed to make genomic data discoverable, interoperable, and actionable across health systems worldwide.

Genomics England is extending its support of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) by becoming a Core Funder. As a Core Funder, Genomics England will provide high-level guidance on the function, direction, and leadership of GA4GH.

Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research. It is helping to transform health by making genomics a routine part of care — unlocking better diagnoses, treatments, and prevention for everyone. It supports the (National Health Service’s (NHS) world-first national whole genome sequencing service, runs the growing National Genomic Research Library, and is delivering numerous major genomics initiatives, including the Generation Study. Genomics England works with the NHS, researchers, industry and its participants to enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future — harnessing innovation to deliver the digital systems and evidence needed for genomics to guide up to half of all healthcare interactions by 2035.

Genomics England has been a longstanding Organisational Member of GA4GH, serving as a Driver Project to support and pilot GA4GH product development and implementation since 2017. Genomics England, in partnership with the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, has been building a clinical genomics platform that embeds GA4GH standards, including the Data Repository Service (DRS), Beacon, and htsget. This work was highlighted in GA4GH’s 2025 Annual Report.

“Genomics England has been one of GA4GH’s most committed implementation partners, embedding our standards into a clinical platform that serves real patients at scale,” said Sasha Siegel, GA4GH Chief Product Officer. “Becoming a Core Funder deepens that relationship in a way that gives both organisations more ability to shape what comes next, not just for the UK, but for the global genomics community.”

Core Funders commit to contribute over 200,000 USD per year for more than three years. Through this funding agreement, commencing from April 2026, Genomics England will support GA4GH in achieving defined annual milestones until March 2030. Within the first year of the funding agreement, these milestones include:

• facilitating progress on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) integration for standardised data sharing;
• releasing a starter kit workflow that demonstrates end-to-end usage of GA4GH products;
• continuing product development of standards for trusted research environments (TREs). 

Dr Augusto Rendon, Chief Bioinformatician at Genomics England, said, “We are pleased to extend our longstanding support for GA4GH by becoming a Core Funder. We want to build a world where everyone benefits from genomic medicine. This can only happen through collaboration and better, responsible data sharing practices. Our strengthened partnership with GA4GH will help enable this on a global scale and help transform health through genomics — aiding diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.”

GA4GH CEO Peter Goodhand said, “Genomics England’s support as a Core Funder will help us accelerate the work that makes genomic data sharing not just possible, but practical and scalable.” Through this strategic alignment, the two organisations are working to increase efficiencies in genomic analysis across the healthcare ecosystem to embed genomics into routine clinical care.