The Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) is the international organisation of scientists involved in human genetic and genomic research. Established in 1989 by a collection of the world's leading human geneticists, the primary ethos of the Human Genome Organisation is to promote and sustain international collaboration in the field of human genetics.

Through its working committees and principles, HUGO promotes its activities and ideals to both today's and tomorrow's scientists.

HUGO (London), a company limited by guarantee, was established in 1990 to further the purposes of HUGO (The Human Genome Organisation) an association formed in 1989 in Geneva, Switzerland. HUGO (London), the European regional office of HUGO, has the same non-profit making aims and objectives as HUGO:

• to assist with the co-ordination of research on the human genome and in particular to foster collaboration between scientists with a view to avoiding unnecessary competition or duplication of effort; to co-ordinate this research with parallel studies in model organisms;

• to co-ordinate and to facilitate the exchange of data and bio-materials relevant to human genome research and, through a training programme, encourage the spreading of the related technologies; and

• to encourage public debate and provide information and advice on the scientific, ethical, social, legal and commercial implications of human genome projects. HUGO (London) was incorporated in the UK on 16 March 1990 and was granted charitable status on 20 February 1992 (Registered Charity Number 1008230)