Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia

Chantel Lin; Amy V. Jennison; Lex E.X. Leong; David J. Speers; Ella M. Meumann; Louise Cooley; Karina Kennedy; Alicia Arnott; David Winter; William Rawlinson; Jennifer Robson; Patrick Harris; Angela Donald; Torsten Seemann; Susan A. Ballard; Martyn Kirk; Vitali Sintchenko; Deborah A. Williamson; Benjamin P. Howden

doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692

Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia

Chantel Lin, Amy V. Jennison, Lex E.X. Leong, David J. Speers, Ella M. Meumann, Louise Cooley, Karina Kennedy, Alicia Arnott, David Winter, William Rawlinson, Jennifer Robson, Patrick Harris, Angela Donald, Torsten Seemann, Susan A. Ballard, Martyn Kirk, Vitali Sintchenko, Deborah A. Williamson, Benjamin P. Howden^*,

^*Corresponding author for this work

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Globally, the utility of pathogen genomics for public health was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approaches to enhance coordination and improve implementation of pathogen genomics for public health are needed. The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) was established in 2015 in Australia. The network, embedded at the public health laboratory interface and supported by the Australian Government, has facilitated a coordinated model in Australia for public health pathogen genomics. CDGN activities have facilitated pilot projects to demonstrate use cases, harmonisation of data sharing and governance arrangements, outbreak and pandemic response, translational research, policy development and workforce capacity building. The impact of CDGN has been enabling the significant progress towards public health genomics implementation in Australia, and providing a model that could be applied in other federated settings, aligned with international best practice.

Original language	English
Article number	101692
Pages (from-to)	1-7
Number of pages	7
Journal	The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific
Volume	63
Early online date	22 Sept 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692
Publication status	Published - Oct 2025

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Lin, C., Jennison, A. V., Leong, L. E. X., Speers, D. J., Meumann, E. M., Cooley, L., Kennedy, K., Arnott, A., Winter, D., Rawlinson, W., Robson, J., Harris, P., Donald, A., Seemann, T., Ballard, S. A., Kirk, M., Sintchenko, V., Williamson, D. A., Howden, B. P. (2025). Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 63, 1-7. Article 101692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692

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title = "Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia",

abstract = "Globally, the utility of pathogen genomics for public health was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approaches to enhance coordination and improve implementation of pathogen genomics for public health are needed. The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) was established in 2015 in Australia. The network, embedded at the public health laboratory interface and supported by the Australian Government, has facilitated a coordinated model in Australia for public health pathogen genomics. CDGN activities have facilitated pilot projects to demonstrate use cases, harmonisation of data sharing and governance arrangements, outbreak and pandemic response, translational research, policy development and workforce capacity building. The impact of CDGN has been enabling the significant progress towards public health genomics implementation in Australia, and providing a model that could be applied in other federated settings, aligned with international best practice.",

keywords = "Implementation, Networking, Pathogen genomics, Public health",

author = "Chantel Lin and Jennison, \{Amy V.\} and Leong, \{Lex E.X.\} and Speers, \{David J.\} and Meumann, \{Ella M.\} and Louise Cooley and Karina Kennedy and Alicia Arnott and David Winter and William Rawlinson and Jennifer Robson and Patrick Harris and Angela Donald and Torsten Seemann and Ballard, \{Susan A.\} and Martyn Kirk and Vitali Sintchenko and Williamson, \{Deborah A.\} and Howden, \{Benjamin P.\}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s)",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692",

language = "English",

volume = "63",

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journal = "The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific",

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Lin, C, Jennison, AV, Leong, LEX, Speers, DJ, Meumann, EM, Cooley, L, Kennedy, K, Arnott, A, Winter, D, Rawlinson, W, Robson, J, Harris, P, Donald, A, Seemann, T, Ballard, SA, Kirk, M, Sintchenko, V, Williamson, DA, Howden, BP 2025, 'Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia', The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, vol. 63, 101692, pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692

TY - JOUR

T1 - Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia

AU - Lin, Chantel

AU - Jennison, Amy V.

AU - Leong, Lex E.X.

AU - Speers, David J.

AU - Meumann, Ella M.

AU - Cooley, Louise

AU - Kennedy, Karina

AU - Arnott, Alicia

AU - Winter, David

AU - Rawlinson, William

AU - Robson, Jennifer

AU - Harris, Patrick

AU - Donald, Angela

AU - Seemann, Torsten

AU - Ballard, Susan A.

AU - Kirk, Martyn

AU - Sintchenko, Vitali

AU - Williamson, Deborah A.

AU - Howden, Benjamin P.

PY - 2025/10

Y1 - 2025/10

N2 - Globally, the utility of pathogen genomics for public health was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approaches to enhance coordination and improve implementation of pathogen genomics for public health are needed. The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) was established in 2015 in Australia. The network, embedded at the public health laboratory interface and supported by the Australian Government, has facilitated a coordinated model in Australia for public health pathogen genomics. CDGN activities have facilitated pilot projects to demonstrate use cases, harmonisation of data sharing and governance arrangements, outbreak and pandemic response, translational research, policy development and workforce capacity building. The impact of CDGN has been enabling the significant progress towards public health genomics implementation in Australia, and providing a model that could be applied in other federated settings, aligned with international best practice.

AB - Globally, the utility of pathogen genomics for public health was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approaches to enhance coordination and improve implementation of pathogen genomics for public health are needed. The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) was established in 2015 in Australia. The network, embedded at the public health laboratory interface and supported by the Australian Government, has facilitated a coordinated model in Australia for public health pathogen genomics. CDGN activities have facilitated pilot projects to demonstrate use cases, harmonisation of data sharing and governance arrangements, outbreak and pandemic response, translational research, policy development and workforce capacity building. The impact of CDGN has been enabling the significant progress towards public health genomics implementation in Australia, and providing a model that could be applied in other federated settings, aligned with international best practice.

KW - Implementation

KW - Networking

KW - Pathogen genomics

KW - Public health

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105016787327

U2 - 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692

DO - 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101692

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:105016787327

SN - 2666-6065

VL - 63

SP - 1

EP - 7

JO - The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

JF - The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

M1 - 101692

ER -

Communicable diseases genomics network: promoting and harmonising pathogen genomics implementation for public health in Australia

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