Five ECHO partners -UTARTU, KUL, UCPH, VU and LU – gathered in northern Estonia for the kick-off meeting.
During the meeting we reviewed the work packages, outlined activities for the 2024-2025 year and compiled an action plan. EU Commission representative joined also the meeting. During the meeting we had several group discussions related to various aspects of the ECHO project including research pilot, methods and tools in human populations genetics, data harmonisation, working in ancient DNA laboratory, research support, Eastern Baltic network etc.
We finalised the WP activities’ timeline for the 1st year (2024-2025) and we look forward to a productive collaboration ahead!
Key Meeting Highlights:
The meeting opened with a welcome from Luca Dussart-Ilieș (EC Project Officer), who emphasized the project’s alignment with the UN and EU Sustainable Development Goals, and encouraged engagement with the COST network for broader scientific cooperation.
Kristiina Tambets (UTARTU), the project PI, introduced the project’s vision, followed by partner presentations and a detailed overview of planned work packages.
Work Package Highlights & Actions:
WP1 & WP5 (Coordination & Research Management):
Presented by Kadri Raav, these sessions outlined governance structures, reporting protocols, and the LIMS system used at UTARTU’s Genomics Core Lab.
Action: Deliverable timeline finalized; visit schedule initiated.
WP6 (Dissemination & Communication):
Led by Kristiina Tambets and Alena Kushniarevich, the team discussed long-term partnership strategies and the project’s outreach framework.
Action: Develop and implement a dissemination plan with partner input.
WP4 (Research Pilot):
Presented by Alena Kushniarevich, the session defined pilot goals and addressed key regional research questions.
Action: Prioritize Eastern Baltic samples with strong metadata for analysis.
WP3 (Interdisciplinarity):
Led by Samantha Scott Reiter, this session emphasized data harmonization and collaborative workflows.
Action: Begin integration of ECHO data into the BIAD database; enhance collaboration with COREX.
WP2 (Methodological Innovation):
Discussions led by Fernando Racimo, Martin Petr, and Toomas Kivisild explored the latest methods in population genetics and aDNA analysis.
Action: Share clean lab setup protocols across institutions.
Group Discussions & Planning:
Interactive group sessions across both days enabled detailed planning of the 2024–2025 work plan. The meeting concluded with a synthesis of deliverables and timelines, setting the foundation for a productive first project year.
