Last week, our team had the privilege of attending the Festival of Genomics (FoG) 2025, one of the leading events in the genomics industry. It was an inspiring two days packed with insightful talks, networking opportunities, and a chance to showcase our platform. Here’s a roundup of our team’s key highlights and reflections from the event.
A First-Timer’s Perspective
Anna Santagostino Barbone, our Technical Writer, attended the Festival of Genomics for the first time, and shared her enthusiasm about the event. “As a first-timer to this kind of event in the genomics world, I think it was a great learning experience and introduction to the wider industry! FoG made me appreciate even more the power of genomics, and it was great to see how passionate people are in this field.”
Key Highlights from the Conference
Emma Walsh, Project Manager, had a couple of standout sessions during the event, each offering a deeper dive into the future of genomic research and clinical applications.
Wednesday Highlight: Advancing Genomic Testing and Digital Infrastructure
The NHS experts took centre stage with updates on cutting-edge work, including ctDNA transformation in lung cancer, whole genome sequencing for cystic kidney disease, CNS tumours, and rapid genomic testing for haematological malignancies. Emma found it particularly interesting to hear how NHS England and Genomics England are advancing the digital ecosystem with their vision for a Unified Genomic Record (UGR). “It was fascinating to see how the UGR could impact pharmacogenomics, clinical trials, and the management of inherited cardiac conditions within the NHS digital infrastructure. This is a real game-changer for both clinical practice and research.”
Thursday Highlight: Shaping the Future of Genomics in the UK
On Thursday, Emma attended a powerful session on the future of genomics in the UK, where leaders from Genomics England and UK research institutions discussed scaling the ecosystem, integrating public perspectives, and leveraging multiomics to improve rare disease and cancer diagnostics. “Hearing directly from the people shaping the genomics landscape in the UK was a reminder of just how transformative this field is, not only for research but for patients’ lives as well.”
Insightful Discussions and Real-World Applications
Felicity Payne, Bioinformatician, shared her thoughts on a variety of sessions she attended, from challenging ideas to practical insights; including a session on personalised healthcare, a panel discussing the impact of omics data from a clinical perspective. “What really caught my attention was the perspective of Louise Jones, a pathologist, on how NHS pathology pipelines work. It was a useful reminder of the complexity involved in integrating omics into clinical workflows.”
A Successful Showcase for Zetta
Mark Hughes, Zetta’s Chief Commercial Officer, reflected on Zetta’s participation at the event, highlighting just how valuable the team’s work has been in making the conference such a success. “The Festival of Genomics was one of the most successful conferences I’ve had the privilege of attending. It wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of everyone on the team—those on the floor as well as the unsung heroes behind the scenes ensuring our platform was ready for demo. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.”
Mark also took Zetta to the Biodata stage to deliver an exciting talk on how XetaBase is transforming the landscape of genomic research and diagnostics through federated data (and knowledge!) sharing. He showcased how our innovative approach will be driving breakthroughs by enabling seamless collaboration between researchers and clinicians, all while boosting throughput and improving diagnostic decisions in the multi-omic era. By securely federating data, Zetta is making it easier than ever for institutions to access richer, more diverse datasets—unlocking new possibilities for both clinical and research advancements. The session was a hit, drawing a great turnout to see how we can supercharge the future of genomics!
Looking Ahead
The Festival of Genomics 2025 was a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with the wider community, learn from industry leaders, and share our own innovations. If you didn’t get to visit our stand and would like to know more, or for a PDF of our slides for the talk, please get in touch!
