Irish Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium - Tracking the genetics of the COVID-19 virus in Ireland
The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, contains genetic information that can change over time. If we can ‘read’ those changes, we will have a better map of how the virus spreads across regions. Being able to determine the genetic makeup of the viruses circulating in Ireland will also support efforts to respond to clusters of infections as they arise, and minimise the spread of the virus.
Irish Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium - Tracking the genetics of the COVID-19 virus in Ireland
Lead Researcher: Professor Paul Cotter, Teagasc and APC Microbiome Ireland
Science Foundation Ireland funding €378,716
Summary
The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, contains genetic information that can change over time. If we can ‘read’ those changes, we will have a better map of how the virus spreads across regions. Being able to determine the genetic makeup of the viruses circulating in Ireland will also support efforts to respond to clusters of infections as they arise, and minimise the spread of the virus. Collecting the sequences of the viruses in Ireland will also mean we can pick up on important new changes that could affect the ability of the virus to cause disease or to evade treatments or vaccines.
SFI is to fund a National Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium that will read and analyse the genetic makeup of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patient samples in Ireland. The data about the genetic sequences of the viruses will be freely available, allowing epidemiologists to monitor trends in Ireland and internationally, and to watch for for changes in the virus that could have an impact the development and delivery of treatments and vaccines.
What is the issue?
The virus that causes COVID-19 contains RNA that can change slightly over time. Unless we track those changes comprehensively in Ireland, we won’t have a clear picture of how strains of the virus are spreading, nor will we be able to spot changes in the virus that could affect how it causes disease, or how we could develop treatments of vaccines against it.
What will the research project do?
SFI will fund a consortium led by the Teagasc/APC Microbiome Ireland Sequencing Centre at Moorepark with partners University College Cork, Cork University Hospital, the National Virus Reference Laboratory, University College Dublin, Beaumont hospital, Genomics Medicine Ireland, Trinity College Dublin/St James’s Hospital, University of Limerick (UL)/University Hospital Limerick, the National University of Ireland, Galway and Maynooth University. This consortium will ‘read’ the RNA sequence of viruses isolated from samples of patients who have lab-confirmed infections of COVID-19 and make the sequence information freely available for analysis.
What will the impact be?
We will know more about the genetic makeup of COVID-19 viruses circulating in Ireland
The information generated by the project will allow experts to monitor genetic changes in the virus and quickly spot developments that could affect human health and treatment or vaccination against COVID-19
Researcher comment:
Professor Paul Cotter, a Principal Investigator with APC Microbiome Ireland and VistaMilk, SFI Research Centres at Teagasc, says:
The Irish Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium has been made possible due to the remarkable enthusiasm and commitment from very many clinicians and researchers across the country. By continuing to work together, we can provide key insights into viral spread and how it is evolving over time. I’d like to in particular thank my colleague, Dr Fiona Crispie, for her key role in establishing this Consortium”
The full list of COVID 19: Rapid Response Research Case Studies announced on 29 April 2020 by the Department of the Taoiseach are available here