Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence

What to know

  • CDC's Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) program promotes innovation in the field of pathogen genomics and molecular epidemiology.
  • The AMD program established and funds the Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence network to provide quicker and more effective responses to infectious disease threats.
  • The five centers consist of public health agencies, academic institutions, and other partners in Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington.
PGCOE Lab Tech

Priorities

Innovation: Develop groundbreaking new tools and methods for detecting and analyzing pathogens while also identifying ways to integrate pathogen genomic technologies and academic advancements into public health efforts at state and local levels.

Education: Develop genomics technology trainings and expand existing educational resources for public health professionals such as epidemiologists, bioinformaticians, and microbiologists to help ensure these tools are more accessible and useful in communities across the United States.

Response: Prepare for infectious disease threats by including a network of experts who can share critical data and implement genomics tools and analyses for early warnings and outbreak responses.

Building Safer and Stronger Communities

CDC’s five centers facilitate the integration of cutting-edge genomics innovations into public health. From tracking new cases of H5N1 bird flu to detecting the source of Salmonella outbreaks to identifying specific monkeypox clades, the network makes Americans safer by using advanced molecular detection techniques to improve our nation’s ability to prepare for, detect, and respond to infectious diseases.

The centers in Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington integrate the on-the-ground expertise of public health agencies with the research capabilities of academic institutions and other partners. This collaboration produces practical tools that can be easily and quickly used for public health response.

Pathogen Genomic Centers of Excellence

Graphic of the US with connecting lines that indicate the collaboration between Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington State.
The Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence serve as a platform for ongoing partnership and innovation to inform how we tackle infectious disease threats.

About the Centers of Excellence

Georgia Center of Excellence

The Georgia center, known as the Center for Applied Pathogen Epidemiology and Outbreak Control (CAPE), has expertise in modeling how pathogens evolve and spread, environmental sampling, advanced genomic lab techniques, complex data analysis, and diagnostic testing. CDC has awarded more than $17.8M to CAPE since 2022.

The Georgia Department of Public Health established CAPE with support from CDC and in partnership with academic institutions and other partners.

Establishing new methods to improve outbreak analysis

The Georgia center has developed new genomic sequencing methods and analytical approaches that streamline lab testing, allowing for simultaneous surveillance of multiple pathogens. When paired with a secure cloud-based platform to integrate multiple data streams, experts get more detailed insights into a pathogen's genetic characteristics, leading to more effective outbreak management.

Minnesota Center of Excellence

The Minnesota Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence excels in epidemiology, bioinformatics, and the One Health approach. CDC has awarded more than $18M to the Minnesota center since 2022.

The Minnesota Department of Health established the Minnesota center with support from CDC and in partnership with academic institutions and other partners.

Launching genomic surveillance program for RSV

The Minnesota center expanded Minnesota's viral genomic surveillance program to include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the first initiatives of its kind in the United States. This program will provide insights on the RSV strains in circulating in communities and how they are spreading—essential information to help state and local leaders make informed choices to protect their community.

New England Center of Excellence

The New England Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence serves as the network lead for education activities and is working to develop a pathogen genomics online training platform and curriculum for the public health workforce. This center excels in data science, clinical medicine, and high-containment laboratory methods. CDC has awarded more than $22.2M to the New England center since 2022.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health established the New England center with support from CDC and in partnership with academic institutions and other partners.

Enhancing monkeypox detection to evaluate medication effectiveness

The New England center in Massachusetts developed advanced molecular detection methods to differentiate between clade I and clade II monkeypox virus. These methods allowed Massachusetts to confirm a clade II monkeypox outbreak and helped public health officials assess the effectiveness of existing medications used to treat cases.

Northwest Center of Excellence

The Northwest Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence excels in genomic epidemiology, bioinformatics, viral evolutionary analysis, genomic sequencing, and the One Health systems development. CDC has awarded $18M to the Northwest center since 2022.

The Washington State Department of Health and Public Health Laboratory established the Northwest center with support from CDC and in partnership with academic institutions and other partners.

Developing testing protocols for H5N1 sequencing

The Northwest center in Washington state developed testing protocols to sequence H5N1 viruses from diagnostic specimens collected both from humans and animals. During an outbreak in Washington, two Northwest partners used these methods to sequence viruses in samples from infected poultry and humans, analyze transmission between species, and assess risks from emerging H5N1 strains.

Virginia Center of Excellence

The Virginia Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence excels in clinical applications, genomics, metagenomics, microbiome research, and data science. CDC has awarded $14.4M to the Virginia center since 2022.

The Virginia Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services established the Virginia center with support from CDC and in partnership with academic institutions and other partners.

Digital tool uses real-world data for assessing disease risk

The Virginia center created a national computer-generated model, or "digital twin," of livestock farms to create dynamic risk maps for zoonotic diseases. By analyzing interactions among humans, livestock, and the environment — key pathways for highly pathogenic avian influenza — the network can better evaluate risk for disease.

Resources

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)