Title: How Cooperative Engagement Programs Strengthen Sequencing Capabilities for Biosurveillance and Outbreak Response

Abstract

The threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases continues to be a challenge to public and global health security. Cooperative biological engagement programs act to build partnerships and collaborations between scientists and health professionals to strengthen capabilities in biosurveillance. Biosurveillance is the systematic process of detecting, reporting, and responding to especially dangerous pathogens and pathogens of pandemic potential before they become outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. One important tool in biosurveillance is next generation sequencing. Expensive sequencing machines, reagents, and supplies make it difficult for countries to adopt this technology. Cooperative engagement programs help by providing funding for technical assistance to strengthen sequencing capabilities. Through workshops and training, countries are able to learn sequencing and bioinformatics, and implement these tools in their biosurveillance programs. Cooperative programs have an important role in building and sustaining collaborations among institutions and countries. One of the most important pieces in fostering these collaborations is trust. Trust provides the confidence that a successful collaboration will benefit all parties involved. With sequencing, this enables the sharing of pathogen samples and sequences. Obtaining global sequencing data helps to identify unknown etiological agents, track pathogen evolution and infer transmission networks throughout the duration of a pandemic. Having sequencing technologymore » in place for biosurveillance generates the capacity to provide real-time data to understand and respond to pandemics. We highlight the need for these programs to continue to strengthen sequencing in biosurveillance. By working together to strengthen sequencing capabilities, trust can be formed, benefitting global health in the face of biological threats.« less

Authors:

Bartlow, Andrew William  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Bartlow, Andrew William"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-1254-4481"

Middlebrook, Earl Austin ^[1]; Romero, Alicia Teresa ^[1]; Fair, Jeanne Marie  ^[1]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Fair, Jeanne Marie"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-3377-6134"

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Publication Date:

Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2021

Research Org.:

Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1783542

Report Number(s):

LA-UR-21-21158
Journal ID: ISSN 2296-2565

Grant/Contract Number:  

89233218CNA000001

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Frontiers in Public Health

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2296-2565

Publisher:

Frontiers Research Foundation

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Biological science; cooperative threat reduction; emerging diseases; next generation sequencing; pandemic preparedness; One Health