Next Generation Sequencing for Infection and Outbreak Surveillance as well as Microbiome (NGS KMA RegH)

Led by Principal Investigator, Consultant, Clinical Associate Professor Mette Damkjær Bartels

The departments of clinical microbiology at Amager and Hvidovre Hospital and Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, perform whole genome sequencing on several pathogenic microorganisms. The data are used for research and infection control and outbreak surveillance in the daily clinical work.

Data are used in several research projects to obtain detailed insight into e.g. the evolution, virulence and antibiotic resistance of microorganisms. Furthermore, Next Generation Sequencing data of samples from the Copenhagen Center for Clinical Microbiome Studies (COPMICS) is also part of the data that are stored on Danish National Genome Centers supersomputer. COPMICS is currently performing several clinical research projects with the overarching goal of developing new microbiome-based medicine.

The Danish National Genome Center's High Performance Computer (HPC) is enabling us to run complex analyses on both bacterial genomic and microbiome data generated for these research projects. Analysis of omics data requires large computational resources, which Danish National Genome Center’s HPC provides us with. Additionally, data security is of priority for us, and by using the HPC our data is always stored in a secure way and backed-up to prevent unintentional loss of data, says Principal Investigator, Chief Physician Mette Damkjær Bartels