COST Action Meeting in Lund to Define the Future of Insect Genomics
Project Psyche(1) will generate genomes for all 11,000 species of Lepidoptera, i.e. butterflies and moths, found in Europe and analyse this data to understand global climate insecurity and threats to biodiversity.
The Project Psyche community is rapidly approaching their first goal of sequencing 1,000 genomes, showing the full DNA sequence and how this DNA is arranged into chromosomes in each species.(2) Following this milestone, the community will jointly analyse the data to reveal the evolution of butterflies and moths, understand the effects of climate change on populations, inform pest control and help conservation research.
An upcoming meeting will be held at the University of Lund, Sweden on March 6 to March 8 for representatives from 15 countries to discuss the project’s scope and future goals.
Project Psyche is leading a working group within the Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action 10kLepGenomes.(3) This is a European network of genomics and Lepidoptera experts that is still open to new members across Europe.
The meeting will allow Members of Project Psyche and the COST Action 10kLepGenomes to discuss how they will further build the Psyche community, the coordination of scientific publications, planning applications for the future and defining roles and responsibilities. During the meeting, members will also talk about outreach in the community, the curation of species lists and analyses for future publications.
In its first year, Project Psyche has engaged with the research community by creating networks with experts in moths and butterflies. Members of the project have also trained the research community in a key step in the generation of genomes. So far, genome sequencing has been performed at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, using samples collected by seven collection hubs located across Europe.(4)
As the Project Psyche community grows, collaboration amongst the project members will utilize the first 1,000 sequenced genomes for original research publications and reports. These articles will lay the groundwork for using species DNA to further understand how species respond to a changing climate and biodiversity.
Additional Information:
(1) Project Psyche (https://www.projectpsyche.org/) is a highly collaborative project that involves over 100 researchers in over 30 countries. Together, these researchers aim to generate genomes for all 11,000 species of butterflies and moths found in Europe. In its first phase, Psyche has established seven sampling hubs. Each hub collects and cryo-preserve at least 200 species of Lepidoptera. All sequencing for this phase is being conducted at the Wellcome Sanger Institute where other biodiversity projects including the Darwin Tree of Life are carried out. Psyche benefits from systems and protocols that were established for the Darwin Tree of Life project, which is sequencing the flora and fauna of UK and Ireland. In the later phases, the aim is to increase both the number of sampling and sequencing hubs.
(2) As of February 2025, 773 butterfly and moth genomes have been sequenced.
(3) To know more information about 10kLepGenomes, please find a link to the website here: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23122/
(4) Decentralised collection hubs are located at institutional partners in Spain (Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, CSIC-UPF), Switzerland (University of Neuchâtel), Sweden (Lund University), Finland (University of Oulu), Italy (University of Florence), Czech Republic (Biology Centre CAS) and Romania (Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History). To know more about the collection hubs, please follow this link: https://www.projectpsyche.org/theorganisation/psyche-hubs/
What is the project about?
Project Psyche is an ambitious, highly collaborative project that involves over 100 researchers in over 30 countries. Together, these researchers aim to generate high-quality genomes for all 11,000 species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) found in Europe over the next five years. In the first phase of the project, sequencing of the genomes is being performed at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK and sample collections being undertaken by seven sampling hubs across Europe in the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland with representatives of thousands of species already been collected.
Why is the project so interesting? One tenth of described species on Earth belong to the insect order Lepidoptera. They are vital pollinators and food sources for many species. They are also powerful indicator species for the health and conservation status of ecosystems. Generating genomes for 11,000 species of Lepidoptera will provide a foundation for scientific discovery into this key group of species, inform conservation efforts, and contribute to the discovery of new biomaterials. One of the core aims of the project is to build a network of lepidopterists across Europe, which includes promoting engagement between amateur and expert lepidopterists and helping knowledge exchange through training workshops for researchers with a particular focus on early-career researchers. This network has been made possible by a recently-awarded European Cooperation in Science and Technology grant which Psyche is part of and has already used to deliver genomics workshops.
Are there any important steps, milestones or even results that could be highlighted at this time?
Project Psyche is rapidly approaching its first major goal of sequencing 1,000 genomes. A meeting held at Lund University, from March 6 to March 8, 2025, will bring together 40 researchers representing 15 European countries to coordinate efforts towards using these 1,000 genomes for many aspects of scientific research. In addition, they will work on a revised species list of all European Lepidoptera, and outline the publications, funding strategies and outreach activities for the next 12 months. They will also reflect together on how the first year of the project and develop a framework for building upon these early successes to reach the next milestone of the project and how sequencing of genomes can be expanded to other hubs within Europe.
How can the results of the project be useful?
The project is now aiming to analyse the generated genomes to tackle pressing societal issues, including climate change, pest control, and conservation research. By working with decentralised collecting hubs, the project is also building capacity in genome research at institutions across Europe.
Describe why the project may be important to the public?
We are now aware of the “insect Armageddon” – a widespread decline of insect populations across the planet. Butterflies and moths are a group of insects loved by the public. At the same time, they have an outsized influence on humans through their widespread pest species, affecting many crops, while also being important pollinators. Project Psyche emerges as a timely scientific response to the constant growth of climate insecurity and threats to global biodiversity.
Is there anything in the project that you find surprising, extraordinary etc?
Project Psyche’s rapid development and applied outcomes is the result of contagious enthusiasm in the Lepidoptera community in Europe and the drive to generate high-quality and relevant resources for topics ranging from taxonomy, genomics, and applied research. Already, it has brought together experts in different fields, including taxonomists with data scientists. Moreover, it’s highly collaborative nature, including its aim to jointly analyse the first 1,000 genomes as a community, hopes to promote knowledge exchange and provide opportunities, particularly for early-career researchers. By working together, we will be drawing upon the skills of researchers across Europe to address important questions in ecological and evolutionary biology.
Can you finally boil down your main objective of the project in a single sentence?
Project Psyche’s central objective is to create a community of genome researchers and expert lepidopterists to deliver high-quality genome resources for fundamental biodiversity and applied research.
Relevant links:
Project Psyche: https://www.projectpsyche.org/
Lep10k COST action: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23122/#tabs+Name:Description