HUGO is a membership organiastion that aims to promote international discussion and collaboration on scientific issues and topics crucial to the progress of the worldwide human genome initiative. It promotes the scientific study of the human genome, and provides a global forum for addressing the scientific, medical, ethical, legal, social and commercial issues raised by the handling and use of genome knowledge.

The UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is undertaking a major initiative to investigate the social and economic context of genomics, which will provide insights into the  fundamental transformations resulting from genomic research (from the impact of new medical practices to changes in agriculture and farming practice). The network is made up of three main research hubs: the Centre for Social and Economic Research on Innovation in Genomics (INNOGEN), the Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (CESAGen), and the Centre for Genomics in Society (EGENIS).