Morris Swertz

Morris Swertz is a Professor of Genome Informatics and FAIR Data Science at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Medical Sciences. He leads the Genomics Coordination Center and holds a joint appointment with the UMCG (University Medical Center Groningen). His work focuses on genomic data integration, FAIR principles, and bioinformatics infrastructure for rare disease research.

Education: MSc in Technology Management (IT) from the University of Groningen (2001) and a PhD in Bioinformatics (2007). Early career included software development for MOLGENIS (2002) and roles as a teaching assistant in software engineering and database theory.

Research interests include genomic data harmonization, clinical-grade pharmacogenetic tools, and diagnostic innovations like nanopore sequencing for neurological disorders. He leads international projects like SOLVE-RD and contributes to initiatives such as DataSHIELD and FAIR Genomes metadata standards.

Key contributions include the Lifelines Biobank infrastructure and over 235 peer-reviewed publications. Awards include the 2004 BioPartner grant for business plan development of MOLGENIS. Collaborates extensively across Europe on rare disease networks like ERN ITHACA.