Genome sequencing has been around for decades and has become faster and cheaper in more recent years. But how is it currently being used across the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic?
Genome sequencing allows the tracking of small mutations in SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, meaning chains of transmission can be identified. Genome sequencing also assists in identifying missing links in the chain of transmission, which indicates when there are undetected viral sources in the community.
Panellists
Join our panellists from Australia, Brazil, China and Italy to discuss examples of global collaboration to sequence and track the evolving variants of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 virus.
Professor Ben Howden, Microbiological Diagnostic Unit (MDU) Public Health Laboratory, Doherty Institute, Australia
Dr Ming-Kun Li, Beijing Institute of Genomics (BIG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China
Dr Alessandro Marcello, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Italy
Dr Ana Tereza Ribeiro de Vasconcelos, National Laboratory of Scientific Computing (LNCC), Brazil
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Program
0:00:00 - Introduction
0:02:02 - Message from His Excellency Tim Kane, Australian Ambassador to Brazil
0:04:17 - Message from His Excellency Graham Fletcher, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China
0:06:03 - Message from Her Excellency Margaret Twomey, Australian Ambassador to Italy
0:07:41 - What is genome sequencing?, Previous technologies in public health; Prof Howden
0:09:52 - Genome sequencing in food-borne diseases; Prof Howden
0:10:33 - Genome sequencing from research to public health labs; COVID-19; Prof Howden
0:11:37 - Evolution of SARS-CoV-2; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:12:46 - Animal origins of SARS-CoV-2; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:14:00 - Development of the field of genomics; Dr Li
0:15:38 - Trade-offs and challenges of new technologies; Dr Li
0:17:04 - Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in China before Feb 2020; Dr Li
0:19:11 - Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy in early 2020; Dr Marcello
0:21:40 - Diagnostic tests for COVID-19; other uses for genome sequencing; Dr Marcello
0:23:59 - COVID-19 vaccines; Dr Marcello
0:24:34 - Selection of virus samples; Prof Howden
0:26:53 - Contact tracing with genome sequencing; Prof Howden
0:30:02 - Collaboration in Pacific region; Prof Howden
0:31:42 - Discovering the Brazil variant; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:33:55 - Global strain surveillance; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:35:00 - Supercomputers for genome sequencing; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:36:33 - Collaboration examples in China; Dr Li
0:38:00 - Exposing infection control; Dr Li
0:39:46 - Genetic basis for vaccines; Dr Li
0:41:22 - Benefits and barriers to international collaboration; Dr Marcello
0:43:25 - Sourcing samples of SARS-CoV-2; ethics of using genetic material; Dr Marcello
0:45:48 - Future of genome sequencing for pandemics; Dr de Vasconcelos
0:47:29 - Which parts of the spike protein are most variable?; Dr Marcello
0:49:06 - Isolating the virus; Dr Li
0:49:49 - Detecting and reporting variants; Prof Howden
0:51:24 - Event close
