Alberta Innovates- Health Solutions

Established in 1989 by genome scientists as an international coordinating organization within the Human Genome Project, HUGO promotes international collaboration to ensure the Project's work is accomplished as effectively and economically as possible. HUGO is not a funding agency and appreciates that it has to leave the determination of agendas and the main points of investment to governments and corporations. Rather, HUGO aims to assist in increasing global information exchange and in guiding the implementation of the genome knowledge for health care and for the benefit of society. Some of its many roles include organizing meetings and workshops, issuing statements on intellectual property and ethical conduct, and providing a forum for technology exchange. HUGO has an international office in the United Kingdom and about 1200 members from 40 countries. HUGO's Council is composed of 18 scientists who are elected for three years, one third of them rotating each year. A small membership fee of $12 to $50 is required to join HUGO, which is determined by the gross national product per capita of a person's home country. HUGO views the natural gene sequences as basic currency, not intellectual property, and is dedicated to the early release of genome information thus accelerating the widespread investigation of gene function.