Biosurveillance

biosecurity | COVID-19 pandemic | global catastrophic biological risk | metagenomics | Nucleic Acid Observatory

Biosurveillance, in the context of biosecurity, is the detection and monitoring of biological agents to prevent biological threats. This is most commonly associated and achieved via metagenomic sequencing,sequencing, the readout of the totality of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) present in an environmental sample.

An unbiased, metagenomic sequencing-based proposal is the Nucleic Acid Observatory (NAO). It aims to detect any changes in the presence and composition of nucleic acids in major waterways and sewage, thus recognising emerging pathogens as early as possible.

Biosecuritybiosecurity | COVID-19 pandemic | Globalglobal catastrophic biological risk | Nucleic Acid Observatory