CDC’s https://www.cdc.gov 5-year awards to five state public health departments are going to establish the Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence (PGCoE) network.
The PGCoE network will improve pathogen genomics, molecular epidemiology, and bioinformatics to better prevent, control, and respond to microbial threats.
Funding from the American Rescue Plan is helping to support current and future genomic surveillance. These funds include $400 million for innovation, and about $90 million will support the PGCoE network over the next five years.
Combined, the PGCoE’s will serve as a network to perform an analysis of gaps, needs, and opportunities for genomics in the U.S public health system, pilot and implement genomics technologies, prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats, and expand and deepen collaboration between U.S public health agencies and universities to form a national resource to advance genomic surveillance.
The five Centers of Excellence include:
- The Georgia Department of Public Health will partner with the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Emory University, Augusta University, Georgia State university, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will partner with the Broad Institute and Harvard. Other partners include Boston University, Mass General Brigham hospital network, Yale University, Fathom Information Design, and Theiagen Genomics.
- The Minnesota Department of Health will partner with the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic
- The Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services will partner with the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Virginia
- The Washington State Department of Health will partner with the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and Public Health in Seattle & King counties.
Academic partners have mobilized scientific resources and built collaborative partnerships to respond to COVID-19. These partnerships have led to innovative applications of genomic epidemiology in public health. The PGCoE network will build on these collaborations for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens of public health concern in the future.