Human Health
Genetic determinants of COVID-19: Integration of host and viral genomic data to understand the COVID-19 epidemiologic triangle
COV199- Project Leaders: Stuart Turvey
- Institutions: University of British Columbia (UBC)
- Budget: $250000
- Program/Competition: COVID-19 Rapid Response Funding Program
- Genome Centre(s): Genome British Columbia
- Fiscal Year: 2021
- Status: Closed
COVID-19 is a complex interaction between the pathogen (SARS-CoV-2), the host (human) and the environment (lifestyle and built environment). The ability to link viral and host genomic factors to highly variable clinical manifestations generates tremendous potential for research opportunities to better understand the infectious disease triangle.
In Canada, the Canadian COVID-19 Genomics Network (CanCOGeN) led this effort through two key distinct projects. VirusSeq sequenced over 150K SARS-CoV-2 genomes to study viral transmission trends, detect new outbreaks and understand how viral genomic factors influence infectious capacity and disease severity. HostSeq sequenced 10K host genomes of patients with COVID-19 to understand how host genetic factors determine host immune response and variable health outcomes.
This project established a ‘Consent to Contact Registry’ and linked data from multiple data stewards for Canadian COVID-19 Genomics Network (CanCOGeN) funded VirusSeq and HostSeq projects in BC. Working with the BC Centre for Disease Control, Ministry of Health, PHSA and Panorama, the project was able to generate a linked dataset including VirusSeq, clinical, epidemiological, administrative, and HostSeq data.
The Integrated BC data is available in the HostSeq Databank (Link to HostSeq Databank) which can be shared nationally and internationally for research on COVID-19. The HostSeq Databank has already been accessed by 26 research studies.
