The Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) was founded by a number of scientists involved in the Human Genome Project in order to help co-ordinate human genome activities worldwide and foster collaboration in the HGP. The idea for HUGO followed on from discussions held in 1988 at the Cold Spring Harbor meeting on genome mapping and sequencing. Walter Bodmer was one of the first to suggest the idea of the Human Genome Project (HGP), and was instrumental in setting up HUGO, initially serving as Vice President, then as second President from 1990-1992.