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CATEGORIES:Isaac Newton Institute Seminar Series
SUMMARY:Spotting the next pandemic: prospecting or prepare
dness? - Eddie Holmes (University of Sydney)
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20200910T093000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20200910T101500
UID:TALK150850AThttp://talks.cam.ac.uk
URL:http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/150850
DESCRIPTION:Zoonotic diseases have long been a major burden on
human societies and are expected to increase in f
requency and impact as we interact more with the a
nimal world and as the global population increases
in both size and productivity. Fortunately\, new
genomic tools\, particularly metagenomic next-gene
ration sequencing (mNGS)\, provide a uniquely powe
rful means to rapidly reveal the microbial composi
tion of any sample without bias\, provide key info
rmation on the diversity\, structure and evolution
of the virosphere\, help determine how microbes m
ove across the human-animal interface and the driv
ers of disease emergence\, and reveal the origins
of specific epidemics. Herein\, I demonstrate the
utility of mNGS for pathogen discovery and underst
anding disease emergence on clinically actionable
time-scales. In doing so\, I will demonstrate how
these genomic tools can form a key component to ne
w approaches to pandemic preparedness. As a case s
tudy will focus on the initial emergence of COVID-
19 (SARS-CoV-2) at the end of 2019. I will discuss
the most likely theories for its origin and emerg
ence\, and consider why coronaviruses seem particu
larly able to jump species boundaries and emerge i
n new hosts. I will conclude by outlining the ways
in which we can potentially prevent pandemics lik
e that of COVID-19 ever happening again.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
CONTACT:INI IT
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