Abstract

Pathogen genomics leverages next generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics to track how infections are transmitted and how outbreaks start, guiding public health investigations and responses against infectious disease. Governments globally are incorporating pathogen genomics to augment their infectious disease surveillance systems and outbreak investigations and responses. However, studies describing the implementation, use and outcomes of pathogen genomics in public health are lacking. This presentation will explain the critical role of evaluation and implementation science to describe the implementation and outcomes of pathogen genomics in public health. By looking at case studies of pathogen genomics implementation in public health systems across Australia and New Zealand, I will describe how pathogen genomics is being used, the outcomes of such use and the factors influencing the implementation and outcomes of pathogen genomics in public health. The results of these case studies can inform ways that pathogen genomics and other innovative technologies can be better implemented in public health systems across Australia, New Zealand and overseas.

Speaker bio

Dr. James Ong is a Research Officer at the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory (MDU PHL) and a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, both at the University of Melbourne. In both roles, he works on program evaluations and implementation science for education and public health programs, with more than 10 years’ experience in the area. In the MDU PHL, he is working on projects to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of pathogen genomics in public health systems across Australia and the world. In particular, he is investigating factors that promote or hinder the use and outcomes of pathogen genomics among end-users such as clinicians and public health staff.