Implementing a national programme of pathogen genomics for public health: the Australian Pathogen Genomics Program (AusPathoGen)
Date
2025
Authors
Webb, J.R.
Andersson, P.
Sim, E.
Zahedi, A.
Donald, A.
Hoang, T.
Watt, A.E.
Agius, J.E.
Donato, C.M.
Cummins, M.L.
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Journal article
Citation
The Lancet Microbe, 2025; 6(3):100969-1-100969-11
Statement of Responsibility
Jessica R. Webb, Patiyan Andersson, Eby Sim, Alireza Zahedi, Angela Donald, Tuyet Hoang, Anne E. Watt, Jessica E. Agius, Celeste M. Donato, Max L. Cummins, Tehzeeb Zulfiqar, Son Nghiem, Chantel Lin, Dimitrios Menouhos, Lex E. X. Leong, Rob Baird, Karina Kennedy, Louise Cooley, David Speers, Chuan Kok Lim, Joep de Ligt, Angeline Ferdinand, Katie Glass, Martyn D. Kirk, Steven P. Djordjevic, Clare Sloggett, Kristy Horan, Torsten Seemann, Vitali Sintchenko, Amy V. Jennison, Benjamin P. Howden, on behalf of AusPathoGen Program partners
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Abstract
Delivering large-scale routine pathogen genomics surveillance for public health is of considerable interest, although translational research models that promote national-level implementation are not well defined. We describe the development and deployment of the Australian Pathogen Genomics Program (AusPathoGen), a comprehensive national partnership between academia, public health laboratories, and public health agencies that commenced in January, 2021. Successfully establishing and delivering a national programme requires inclusive and transparent collaboration between stakeholders, defined and clear focus on public health priorities, and support for strengthening national genomics capacity. Major enablers for delivering such a programme include technical solutions for data integration and analysis, such as the genomics surveillance platform AusTrakka, standard bioinformatic analysis methods, and national ethics and data sharing agreements that promote nationally integrated surveillance systems. Training of public health officials to interpret and act on genomic data is crucial, and evaluation and costeffectiveness programmes will provide a benchmark and evidence for sustainable investment in genomics nationally and globally.
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© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).