Integrative viral genomics and bioinformatics platform

Genome sequencing and associated computer-based analysis and methods have fundamentally transformed our understanding of viruses and the diseases they cause. The purpose of the integrative viral genomics and bioinformatics (iVGB) platform is to support CVR researchers and external collaborators across a range of virus-focused research projects, providing specialist expertise, resources and training to the wider UK and international virology community. The platform consists of the genomics and the bioinformatics teams, which work closely together. Uniquely in the UK, both teams are dedicated solely to virology and consist of experts in a wide range of topics relevant to the CVR research portfolio. Our research will be split into two overall objectives: (1) integration of genomic, evolutionary and phenotypic dimensions of viral infection (including the use of existing public data) in collaboration with the CVR research programmes and (2), with the Preparedness platform, response to outbreaks & enhanced surveillance

The integrative viral genomics and bioinformatics (iVGB) platform aims to advance our understanding of viral diseases by developing and implementing sequencing procedures and bioinformatics analysis, applying them innovatively to virus-focused projects in collaboration with CVR researchers and partners.

There is an ongoing need to identify emerging and remerging viral threats, to monitor their evolution, including in the context of naïve and vaccinated populations, and to understand the mechanisms by which viruses exploit and disrupt cellular processes to cause disease. Viral genomics, host transcriptomics and associated bioinformatic approaches are transforming the tools available to tackle viruses, impacting basic understanding of infections, the development of antivirals and vaccines, and guiding public health actions.

Our bioinformatics and genomics researchers that comprise iVGB possess diverse expertise in sequencing and computational biology, including probe-based enrichment methods, multiplexed amplicon-based sequencing, metagenomics and various transcriptomics-associated approaches, and on the computational side expertise of viral and host genome evolution, epidemiology, sequence data analysis, comparative and structural virology, transcriptomics, integration of multi-omics data, statistics, machine learning, software engineering and web resource development.

Building on our current expertise, we have three objectives, which have a strong emphasis on adopting new technologies, improving existing ones applied to viruses, and providing expert know-how in computational tools. These are:
- To understand the genomic, evolutionary, spatial, temporal and phenotypic dimensions of infection, in collaboration with CVR research programmes and partners.
- To monitor and study viral outbreaks by performing sequence-based enhanced surveillance in collaboration with the CVR’s Preparedness platform.
- To share resources and expertise via one-to-one training and specialist courses with the wider UK and international virology community.

This research plan includes the application of viral genomics approaches to selected cohorts of patients and targeted environmental samples, in collaboration with the Virus Preparedness platform, while applying technologies focusing on infected cell/tissue omics in collaboration with the three core research programmes: Structure and function of virions, Host-cell responses to infection and Virus cross-species transmission.

iVGB is committed to advancing virus-focused research by leveraging cutting-edge sequencing procedures, bioinformatics analysis, and interdisciplinary collaborations, ultimately improving global health outcomes.