At the beginning of the COVID-19 response, an Expert Reference Panel (ERP) on SARS-CoV-2 Genomics was established to facilitate the provision of guidance and advice on aspects of national coordination regarding SARS-CoV-2 genomics to the Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN). In August 2020, the Australian Government Department of Health determined that it was an appropriate time for this expertise to be consolidated within the existing Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) committee structure in the interest of streamlining reporting and decision-making.
From August 2020, CDGN membership temporarily expanded to allow for the inclusion of Associate COVID-19 members with virology expertise from both public health laboratories and academia. In addition to expanding membership, CDGN increased the frequency of meetings from monthly to fortnightly to provide timely advice, progress decision making and allow for the network to be responsive to the needs of the Australian Government Department of Health as the pandemic evolves.
Associated COVID-19 membership (time limited)
ACT
Dr Benjamin Schwessinger
Australian Research Council Future Fellow
ACT Pathology, Australian National University
NSW
Professor Edward Holmes
Australian Research Council Australian Laureate Fellow
University of Sydney
Dr Jen Kok
Infectious diseases physician, Clinical Microbiologist and Research Fellow
Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research
Associate Professor Rowena Bull
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of New South Wales
Associate Professor Sebastiaan Van Hal
Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
QLD
Dr Son Nguyen
Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health
South Australia
Dr Chuan Kok Lim
Infectious Diseases Physician
SA Pathology
Victoria
Ms Courtney Lane
Epidemiology Section Lead
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Doherty Institute
Dr Leon Caly
Senior Medical Scientist
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL), Doherty Institute
Western Australia
Professor David Smith
Medical Microbiologist
PathWest
Australian Government (observers)
Professor Martyn Kirk
Australian National University
Department of Health
Communicable Diseases Network Australia
Ms Siobhan St George
Department of Health
CDGN governance
The governance structure of the CDGN centers on collaboration, sharing of information and teaching and learning to ensure the aims are achieved. With representation from all states and territories in Australia and New Zealand, CDGN meet regularly to draw upon the vast range of public health and genomics expertise necessary for the successful implementation and integration of the microbial genomics in public health laboratories as well as the Australian public health system.