Evolution, transmission and prevention of streptococcal pandemics through global population genomics

Abstract

Streptococcal pathogens such as Streptococcus pyogenes are among the top 10 infectious disease killers worldwide. Despite a sustained burden of disease for many centuries, we have a limited understanding of the global relationship of S. pyogenes and there is no commercial vaccine available. My laboratory applies bioinformatic driven approaches to examine the evolution of bacterial pathogens such as S. pyogenes with a focus on genomic epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, pathogenesis and vaccine design. Over the past 13 years we have generated a database of S. pyogenes genome sequences primarily within geographical regions where disease burden is the highest. In this presentation I will discuss how we apply population genomics to advance vaccine design through to tracking the evolution and transmission of pathogenic clones.

Biography

Mark is a CR Roper Senior Research Fellow within the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Doherty Institute, the University of Melbourne. He completed his PhD at QIMR, before undertaking postdoctoral studies at the University of York in the UK. He then undertook an NHMRC overseas postdoctoral training fellowship between the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK and the University of Queensland under the supervision of Gordon Dougan and Mark Walker here he used genome sequencing methodologies to examine the genome dynamics of bacterial pathogens, publishing in leading journals including Nature Genetics. His principle research interests are in the application of genome sequencing approaches to unravel disease mechanisms along with tracking pathogen spread and informing global vaccine design.