Name

Website

Launched time

Main goals

CIHR

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/

2000

  1. Transform health research in Canada by applying next-generation sequencing to more research on targeted priority and under-developed areas such as population health and health services research
  2. Transform research results into policies, practices, procedures, products and services

ENCODE

http://www.genome.gov/10005107

2003

  1. Funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
  2. Build a comprehensive parts list of functional elements in the human genome, including elements that act at the protein and RNA levels, and regulatory elements that control cells and circumstances in which a gene is active.

NOE

www.epigenome-noe.net/

2004

  1. Provide clear and visible benefits for the entire epigenetic community and as such supports both members and non-members with conferences, work-shops, training visits and shared resources.

EPITRON

www.epitron.eu

2005

  1. Define the epigenetic treatment and identify novel drugs of cancer

HEROIC

http://www.heroic-ip.eu/

2006

  1. Apply high-throughput sequencing technology to do a genome-wide epigenetic research, making a wider contribution to understanding the primary genetic code of chromatin

BLUEPRINT

http://www.blueprint-epigenome.eu/

2007

  1. Develop novel technology for high-throughput epigenome mapping
  2. Provide reference epigenomes and epigenetic drug target

CANCERDIP

www.cancerdip.eu

2007

  1. Understand the mechanisms of DNA methylation deregulation in human cancer
  2. Identify epigenetic markers for clinical application

AEPIA

www.epialliance.org.au

2008

  1. Facilitate communication between Australasian research groups interested in epigenetic-based questions as well as clinicians, students and members of the public interested in epigenetics

Roadmap

www.roadmapepigenomics.org

2008

  1. Utilize next-generation sequencing technologies to map DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility, and small RNA transcripts in stem cells and primary ex vivo tissues
  2. Produce a public resource of human epigenomic data to catalyze basic biology and disease-oriented research.

ICGC

www.icgc.org

2010

  1. Obtain a comprehensive description of genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in 50 different tumor types and/or subtypes which are of clinical and societal importance across the globe.
The consortium names are shortly listed in the table. The full names are represented as follows. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE), Epigenome Network of Excellence (NOE), Epigenetic Treatment of Neoplastic Disease (EPITRON), High-throughput Epigenetic Regulatory Organisation in Chromatin (HEROIC), Medip Cancer Consortium(CANCERDIP), Australian Epigenetic Alliance (AEPIA), NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium(Roadmap), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)
Table 2: Worldwide epigenome consortiums.