The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and Andorra Research + Innovation (ARI) have signed a framework collaboration agreement to develop joint initiatives in research, innovation and knowledge transfer. The agreement establishes the foundations for stable scientific cooperation between the two institutions and opens up a new path for cross-border work in the fields of mountain genomics and ecology.
The first planned action is the Mountain Genomics Talent Programme, a pilot initiative designed to incorporate two junior researchers with dual CRG–ARI affiliation for a period of three years. Their work will focus on studying mountain biodiversity, environmental variation, and ecosystem health, taking advantage of Andorra’s unique geographical and climatic characteristics as a natural research environment.
The combination of altitudes, microclimates and well-preserved ecosystems makes the Principality an ideal setting for testing sequencing technologies, environmental monitoring systems and nature-based solutions. The country’s size and territorial proximity further facilitate the collection of high‑resolution data that complement laboratory studies.
Researchers participating in the programme will carry out most of their work at ARI facilities and at the Andorran Centre for Advanced Technologies and Solutions (CATSA), travelling to the CRG when needed to access specialised infrastructures or to take part in training sessions and coordination meetings.
In the medium term, the initiative may pave the way for more structured cooperation models between institutions in both territories, including potential stable research structures linked to mountain genomics.
The collaboration also strengthens the connection between Andorra and European research networks, particularly in open data projects and biodiversity monitoring. In this regard, the programme aligns with initiatives such as the Catalan Initiative for the Earth BioGenome Project, led by the CRG with funding from ARI and the Institute for Catalan Studies (IEC), which contributes to sequencing the genomes of species across the Catalan-speaking territories.
This agreement represents an important step forward in scientific cooperation between Catalonia and Andorra and opens new opportunities to integrate genomic research, conservation and innovation within a natural environment of high ecological value.
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