Genome, Evolution and Infectious Disease Epidemiology

This webinar will feature Bill Hanage and will be hosted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Register here. Learn more.

Abstract: Over the last decade genomics has transformed infectious disease epidemiology. Not only can we use genomes to reconstruct chains of transmission and the history of a pathogen, they can also track evolution as it happens in real time in response to clinical interventions. In this talk I will show examples of how evolution and genomics can be used for epidemiology, from understanding how bacteria gain and lose antibiotic resistance to how a novel pandemic pathogen responds to population-scale immunity, and ultimately how we can use genomically-informed models to forecast the future evolution of pathogens. By understanding these fundamental elements of pathogens and their biology, we can improve our ability to anticipate and respond to the challenges they continue to present.