Disease outbreak detection in the genomic era: A roadmap forward
The purpose of the meeting is (i) To provide an expanded follow-up to the 2011 Brussels meeting and debate the short and long term obstacles and solutions for a global system for identification of microorganisms based on genomic information. (ii) To provide an overview of ongoing initiatives and discuss how global collaboration can be achieved. (iii) To determine a path forward for how to establish a globally distributed system.
The meeting will focus on solutions to questions and challenges surrounding the deployment of next-generation genomic typing tools for public health and clinical disease cluster detection on a global scale. Specific questions to be answered from this collection of worldwide experts in the field may include: (i) appropriate metadata attached to genome data submissions; (ii) available computer resources/tools required to implement and execute a global genome-based disease detection network; (iii) data types and categories to be included for databasing and analysis; (iv) political and legal impediments for the sharing of genomic data; and (v) data formatting for point-of-care clinical utility and public health.