Seminar "The use of pathogen population genetics for infectious disease epidemiology and control"

Speaker: Dr. Hsiao-Han Chang, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Title: “The use of pathogen population genetics for infectious disease epidemiology and control”

Abstract:

Globally, infectious diseases are one of the primary causes of mortality and morbidity. Designing and implementing public health interventions require an understanding of disease transmission. Advances in sequencing technology have produced large samples of pathogen genomes that have the potential to provide molecular evidence of disease transmission. However, there are challenges in interpreting these genetic data using traditional population genetic methods: assumptions are often violated by life history characteristics of pathogens, and these methods are not powerful at the spatial-temporal scales most relevant to disease transmission and public health interventions. In this presentation, I will discuss our efforts to develop new quantitative tools for studying the genetic diversity and evolution of pathogens, and the application of these tools to two pathogens, malaria parasites and Staphylococcus aureus. Specifically, I will present 1) population genetic models that can help explain the emergence of antimalarial drug resistance in Southeast Asia, and 2) new statistical methods for inferring pathogen migration and complexity of infection. I will conclude with the importance of these results to public health interventions.

We look forward to seeing many of you at the seminar.

Sincerely,
Yoko Fujitomi
Plant Epigenetics Unit (Saze unit)