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Webinar: Whole genome sequencing as a tool to strengthen foodborne disease surveillance and response [1]

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Date: 2023-06-09

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a laboratory technique which is revolutionizing public health and more specifically the control and prevention of foodborne diseases. WGS is useful for understanding foodborne diseases through enhancing routine surveillance, outbreak detection, outbreak response and for source identification using a One Health approach, given its potential to change how we detect and monitor microbial hazards in the food chain, as well as how we assess, investigate and manage food safety risks.

It is anticipated that this new technology will help reducing the burden of foodborne diseases, given its advantages over previous low-resolution typing and detection methods. The World Health Organization (WHO) will launch on 6 July 2023 the guidance document, “Whole genome sequencing as a tool to strengthen foodborne disease surveillance and response”, which outlines the capacities that need to be in place before WGS can be useful for foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response; options for implementing WGS; and how to integrate WGS within existing systems.

This webinar will showcase the upcoming publication, and describe real-life experiences utilizing this technology.

The session is part of WHO’s Health Talks on Food Safety hosted by the Food Safety Community of Practice on the occasion of celebrating World Food Safety Day. See more details here.

Moderator

Ms Yuki Minato, Technical Officer, Monitoring Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Safety

Speakers

Dr Kirsty Hope, Manager, Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases and One Health Branch, Health Protection New South Wales, Australia

Dr Eric Brown, Director, Division of Microbiology, Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, United States Food & Drug Administration, United States of America

Dr Mustafizur Rahman, Senior Scientist and Head of the Genomics Centre and Virology Laboratory, ICDDR Bangladesh

Dr Josefina Campos, Director of the National Genomics and Bioinformatics Center at ANLIS Malbrán, Argentina

Dr Vaseeharan Sathiyamoorthy, Senior Advisor, Department of Research for Health, Science Division, WHO headquarters, Switzerland

Speaker biographies: https://sway.office.com/tdEbhvqVXFFmQbKN?ref=Link

Agenda (CEST)

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[1] Url: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/06/09/default-calendar/webinar-whole-genome-sequencing-as-a-tool-to-strengthen-foodborne-disease-surveillance-and-response

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