The Human Variome Project (HVP) is an international consortium of scientists and health-care professionals who are working towards a significant reduction in the burden of genetic disease on the world’s populations. The aim of the Human Variome Project is to ensure that all information on genetic variation can be collected, curated, interpreted and shared freely and openly. This will lead to speedier, better and cheaper diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, and better insight into the causes, severity and effect of common disease.

The Human Variome Project envisions a world where the availability of, and access to, genetic variation information is not an impediment to diagnosis and treatment. The Human Variome Project is motivated by the knowledge that collaboration across disciplines and cultures will produce better and cheaper results for patients with genetic diseases.

The many challenges faced by the world today call for collaborative action at the regional, intra-regional and international levels. Sharing of resources, information, expertise and state of the art infrastructure by scientists worldwide is crucial today to effectively address common problems facing mankind; the role of industry in capitalizing on the outputs of research and innovation has long term benefits for the countries. UNESCO by working with the Human Variome Project consortium will use its networks of Category 2 Centers in the basic and applied sciences and other partners in the scientific community and industry to promote and strengthen collaboration and foster a more dynamic linkage between the research communities, policy makers and industry.

Casimiro Vizzini
Policy and Capacity Building Division
Natural Sciences Sector
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 45 68 41 23
E-mail: c.vizzini(at)unesco.org