EGS GlaucoGENE is a Special Interest Group of the European Glaucoma Society, formed by a consortium of experts across Europe on glaucoma phenotyping, complex genetics and basic ophthalmic biology. The aim of EGS GlaucoGENE is to enhance research studies and promote knowledge concerning multifactorial genetics in glaucoma, which holds great promise for future advances in glaucoma risk stratification and management.

The main activity of EGS GlaucoGENE is the development of the European Glaucoma Society (EGS) GlaucoGENE Project, which is a large scale pan-European genetic epidemiology research network. Its objective is to create a central database consisting of genetic and standardised phenotypic information from people throughout Europe. With the additional component of proteomics, the database is expected to become a major resource for future studies on glaucoma genetics. The EGS GlaucoGENE project is currently the only large multicentre glaucoma-specific biobank. Unlike previous biobanks, the EGS GlaucoGENE Project focuses on both detailed and standardised phenotyping and therefore may be regarded as an innovative effort in genetic epidemiology.

A feasibility study for the EGS GlaucoGENE project began in May 2007 and recruitment was completed at the end of 2008, with the participation of four centres: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, University of Genoa, Italy and University of Mainz, Germany. The Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), UK, and the University of Mainz are responsible for handling and storage of biological samples. During the main study a large number of European centres are expected to participate, since many of them have already expressed their interest to participate in the project.
 

Publications

Founti P, Topouzis F, van Koolwijk L, Traverso CE, Pfeiffer N, Viswanathan AC. Biobanks and the importance of detailed phenotyping: a case study--the European Glaucoma Society GlaucoGENE project. Br J Ophthalmol. 2009;93:577-81.

 
Fotis Topouzis