NuGO evolved from a European-funded Network of Excellence, the full title of which was 'The European Nutrigenomics Organisation: linking genomics, nutrition and health research'.

NuGO was funded by the European Commission’s Research Directorate General under the Food Quality and Safety Priority of the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. The project began in January 2004 and wasbe funded until June 2010.

A Network of Excellence (NoE) does not do research as such. Its purpose is to overcome the fragmentation of research, giving researchers from across Europe the chance to work together, share facilities and their expertise.

Twenty-three (23) NuGO Partners consisting of research organisations, universities and small-medium-sized businesses from ten European countries formed the core of NuGO, and their common aims were to make future nutrigenomics research better and easier.

The primary aims of the project were to:

• Train European scientists to use post-genomic technologies in nutrition research
• Develop and integrate genomic technologies for the benefit of European nutritional science
• Facilitate the application of these technologies in nutritional research world-wide
• Create the world-leading virtual centre of excellence in nutrigenomics