A Room with a ZOO
The 7th European Conservation Genetics Meeting brings together students, researchers, and stakeholders from around the world to share insights, exchange knowledge, and foster collaborations in the field of conservation genetics and genomics. Hosted by the IUCN SSC Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, the conference is a platform for exploring the cutting-edge advancements shaping how genetic and genomic data can guide conservation in a rapidly changing world.
Under the theme "Genomes for the Future: Using Genetic Insights to Understand, Predict, and Restore Biodiversity," the programme examines how today's genomic knowledge can shape restoration, policy, and sustainable coexistence with biodiversity. Sessions span the current state of genetic diversity, the translation of genomic data into concrete management actions such as genetic rescue and reintroductions, predictive modelling of biodiversity under climate and land-use pressures, and the link between restoration genomics and policy frameworks including the EU Nature Restoration Law and the Global Biodiversity Framework. Keynotes, oral contributions, poster sessions, and panel discussions bring the international community together across three days.
Beyond the science, the meeting connects research with culture and place through the "Evolving Narratives" art exhibition, which explores how genetic diversity can be communicated beyond traditional scientific language, and a field excursion to nearby Flemish nature reserves. Held at A Room with a ZOO, next to the historic Antwerp Zoo and Antwerp Central Station, the conference offers an internationally accessible setting for a field working to secure the genetic future of biodiversity.
