Spotlight on CoVaRR-Net trainees and highly qualified personnel (HQPs)
CoVaRR-Net brings together highly qualified personnel (HQP) and trainees from across the country and we’re proud to help form the next generation of researchers in Canada.
Our Pillars and Major Initiatives have nominated several outstanding candidates to be spotlighted on this website as recognition of their work. These are just a few of the tremendously talented people we have working on CoVaRR-Net projects (in alphabetical order). We’ll be adding to this list every quarter.
Zohaib Anwar
Pillar 6 – Computational Analysis, Modelling and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO)
Postdoctoral research fellow, Center for Infectious Disease Genomics and One Health (CIDGOH), Simon Fraser University
Audray Fortin
Pillar 10 – Antiviral Strategies and Antiviral Therapeutics
Research Assistant and Lab Manager
Justin Jia
Pillar 6 – Computational Analysis, Modelling and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO)
Postdoctoral fellow, Simon Fraser University, and Bioinformatics Lead and Co-Coordinator, CAMEO, CoVaRR-Net
Agatha Komsic-Vranjkovic
CoVaRR-Net Biobank
Research Ethics and Access Officer, CoVaRR-Net Biobank
Carly G Morrisseau
Pillar 7 – CoVaRR-Net’s Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research (CIEDAR)
Social Media and Communications Coordinator
Alex Hicks
Coronavirus in the Urban Built Environment (CUBE)
Laboratory Technician, Coronavirus in the Urban Built Environment (CUBE)
Mary Jessome
Pillar 7 – CoVaRR-Net’s Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research (CIEDAR)
Research Manager and PhD Candidate, University of British Columbia
Arianna M. Hurtado-Monzόn
Pillar 2 – Host-Pathogen Interactions
Postdoctoral fellow, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan
Prachi Ray
Coronavirus in the Urban Built Environment (CUBE)
Research Assistant, Coronavirus in the Urban Built Environment (CUBE)
Jose Avila Cervantes
Pillar 5 – Viral Genomics & Sequencing
Research Associate, Advanced Genomic Technologies Laboratory, McGill Genome Centre
Tamara Chavez
Pillar 7, CoVaRR-Net’s Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research (CIEDAR)
Project Manager, CoVaRR-Net
Nada Hegazy
Wastewater Surveillance Research Group (WWSRG)
Environmental engineering PhD candidate, MASc, EIT, University of Ottawa
Sally Lee
Pillar 5 – Viral Genomics & Sequencing
Research Assistant, Advanced Genomic Technologies Laboratory, McGill Genome Centre
Elisabeth Mercier
Wastewater Surveillance Research Group (WWSRG)
Environmental engineering PhD candidate, University of Ottawa
Sana Naderi
Pillar 6, Computational Analysis, Modelling and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO)
Graduate student, Shapiro Lab, McGill Genome Center
Paul Stretenowich
Pillar 5 – Viral Genomics & Sequencing
Bioinformatics specialist, Canadian Center for Computational Genomics (C3G), McGill University
Julian Willett
Pillar 5 – Viral Genomics & Sequencing
Research Associate, McGill Genome Centre
Alex Hicks
Career aspiration:
As a recent graduate, Alex has always enjoyed her time working in the lab and would like to continue working in a lab setting. She hopes to expand her skillset beyond lab techniques and learn more about bioinformatics and coding.
Why does Alex deserve a spotlight?
CUBE wouldn’t be CUBE without the dedication and commitment Alex demonstrates day in and day out processing swabs. She delivers quality and excellence. She has processed thousands of samples through qPCR (single target and multiplex), as well as cultures. Alex is currently Lead lab technician on CUBE’s implementation pilot at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital.
Mary Jessome
Career aspirations:
CIEDAR’s work continues to demonstrate the healing benefits associated with being outside in nature. Mary hopes to further their work, specifically on the relationship between identity and health, as it is facilitated by a connection to nature, by conducting research and creating nature-based health programs.
Why do they deserve a spotlight?
In her role as research manager, Mary contributes to and shapes the future of CIEDAR. Mary is integral to the grant and manuscript writing efforts and her work ensures that the CIEDAR team is productive and makes its quarterly writing goals.
Milca Meconnen
Career aspiration:
After completing her MSc, Milca would like to continue working in epidemiology research, specifically focusing on marginalized communities within the Canadian context.
Why you think Milca deserves a spotlight?
Milca has an incredible passion for research that can inform and improve the health of marginalized communities and equity-deserving groups. In addition to supporting the development of the CoVaRR-Net core data model and catalogue, as a member of the CoVaRR-Net Biobank and Data Platform teams, she is currently leading the writing of a white paper on the appropriate inclusion, use, and interpretation of equity stratifiers in infectious diseases and immunology research. The goal of this paper is to enable scientists in these disciplines to better measure diversity and representation.
Arianna M. Hurtado-Monzόn
Career aspiration:
Arianna aims to continue working in host-pathogen interaction research with emerging viruses, either in an academic laboratory or in industry and to share her knowledge with future generations.
Why you think Arianna deserves a spotlight?
Arianna is a very talented and enthusiastic postdoctoral fellow and part of CoVaRR-Net’s Pillar 2. She is presently working on a project to advance our understanding of the host species’ susceptibility to different SARS-CoV-2 variants by developing a cell-based assay to determine ACE2-mediated SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells, observing that ACE2 orthologues from different animal species differentially facilitate the entry of the virus. This is the first step to systematically identify and robustly validate ACE2 orthologs from animal species that are likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2. Her work also encompasses the development of innovative cell culture systems to advance studies in viral fitness, species-specific host responses, and pathogenesis.
Prachi Ray
Career Aspirations:
Prachi hopes to continue working in the field of infectious diseases and contribute to a diverse range of interdisciplinary research projects during her professional career.
Why does Prachi deserve a spotlight?
Prachi has been a member of the Coronavirus in the Built Environment (CUBE) initiative since May 2022. She has supported a range of vital activities including sample collection, data entry, project coordination, and knowledge translation. Prachi exhibits excellence and dedication in all tasks, and she was recently awarded the Top Abstract Award (Innovation Track) at the 2023 Sinai Health Quality and Safety Symposium for her work “Environmental surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 for outbreak detection in hospital: A single centre prospective study.”
Philibert Tuyishime
Philibert Tuyishime, PhD, has a doctorate in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, with an emphasis on utilizing molecular techniques to instruct hosts to produce human beneficial products. Prior to joining the CoVaRR-Net Biobank team, Philibert worked in the Public Health Ontario Laboratory detecting infectious pathogens and then pivoted to their COVID-19 PCR screening program.
Career aspirations:
Philibert hopes to continue utilizing molecular and cellular techniques to enable scientific discoveries that improve human health and assist with pandemic preparedness planning in a research or public health setting.
Why you think Philibert deserves a spotlight?
Since joining the CoVaRR-Net Biobank in September 2022, Philibert has been dedicated to his role as a junior research technician. His extensive knowledge in molecular biology has allowed him to work meticulously, developing standard operating procedures and collecting, processing, and distributing high quality biological samples required for pandemic research. Importantly, he plays a vital role in the conduct of laboratory studies for research clients, which is central to the mandate of the Biobank as a knowledge generator. As the health and safety representative, Philibert ensures his peers are compliant to safety practices, rules and regulations while working in the laboratory. His work thus far has been exceptional, and his cheerful outlook and commitment have been foundational to the CoVaRR-Net Biobank team.
Jose Avila Cervantes
Career aspiration:
Jose hopes to continue working with emerging viruses.
Why does Jose deserve a spotlight?
Jose works on multiple CoVaRR-Net-funded projects detecting SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses in wastewater, monitoring for outbreaks and new variants. Through the course of his work, Jose has developed and implemented pipelines for data analysis.
Tamara Chavez
Tamara Chavez, BA, MA, holds a bachelor’s in social work from the University of Victoria, and a master’s degree in human rights from the University of Vienna. She is CoVaRR-Net’s Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research (CIEDAR) Pillar 7 project manager and works in a community-based/participatory research approach. Previously, Tamara worked as a project coordinator for the BC Centre of Disease Control Harm Reduction Services and as research consultant for Harm Reduction International. Her frontline and research work interests include topics such as harm reduction, overdose prevention, mental health and sexual health, alongside various groups, including people who experience homelessness and people who use drugs.
Career aspirations:
As a project manager in Indigenous research, Tamara hopes to make a meaningful impact on Indigenous communities by leading research projects that promote Indigenous knowledge and methodologies. She hopes to collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples, fostering respectful research partnerships, and advocating for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in academic and policy discussions. Ultimately, her career aspiration would be to contribute to positive change and thrivance within Indigenous communities through Indigenous-led research initiatives.
Why does Tamara deserve a spotlight?
Tamara is a superb project manager and manages the CIEDAR portfolio of work with skill, organization, and consistent communication. As a result of Tamara’s management, team members understand their roles and the work they must accomplish in order for CIEDAR to continue to meet its study aims and goals.
Nada Hegazy
Nada Hegazy, BASc, MASc, is an environmental engineering PhD candidate and a 2023 Vanier Scholar under the supervision of Dr. Robert Delatolla at the University of Ottawa. She holds a BASc degree in chemical engineering (Co-op) and a MASc degree in environmental engineering, both earned at the University of Ottawa in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Nada’s research has focused on improving the understanding of COVID-19 wastewater surveillance data and its role in enhancing public health monitoring. Her research on the dynamic relation between wastewater signal and clinical metrics was presented internationally, including with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands. Nada’s research achievements further led to her master’s thesis being nominated for a “Best Thesis” award by the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Engineering.
Career aspiration:
Nada aspires to build a career at the intersection of engineering, epidemiology, and data science, working towards innovative solutions that would address emerging health challenges at a community and global level.
Why does Nada deserve a spotlight?
As part of Dr. Robert Delatolla’s research group at the University of Ottawa, she leverages the unified wastewater surveillance dataset, a pivotal component of CoVaRR-Net’s WWSRG Major Initiative, to conduct a comprehensive and aggregated examination of wastewater surveillance data quality and its potential in strengthening public health monitoring in smaller communities.
Aliisa Heiskanen
Aliisa Heiskanen, BSc, graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2020 with a bachelor of science for which she majored in biomedical science and minored in psychology. She developed an interest for infectious disease epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently working towards her MSc in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa. Her research focuses on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal respiratory viruses.
Career Aspiration:
Aliisa hopes to continue working in the field of infectious diseases and assist with pandemic preparedness planning in a research or public health setting.
Why does Aliisa deserve a spotlight?
Since joining the CoVaRR-Net Biobank in September 2022, Aliisa has played critical roles in developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), coordinating the collection of samples and data with study coordinators and partners, and liaising with researchers to arrange shipment of requested samples and data from the Biobank inventory. Her attention to detail has been welcomed in mobilizing the new Biobank Inventory Management System (BIMS). She is also a vital partner within the Data Platform as it heads towards the launch of its dashboard-accessible Metabase platform that will revolutionize sample and data queries, access, and sharing among Canadian researchers. This work is foundational to CoVaRR-Net Biobank operations and its future in pandemic preparedness, particularly as the team continues to build the Canadian Biobank and Data Alliance initiative. Outside of work, Aliisa keeps her mind, body and spirit vitalized through a commitment to athletics: a former varsity basketball player and current triathlete. This fosters an ideal work ethic of perseverance, dependability, commitment and excellent – core elements of our amazing Biobank Team!
Sally Lee
Sally Lee, MSc, earned her master’s in pharmacology and therapeutics from McGill University while studying the corrective effects of folic acid supplementation on DNA methylation alterations associated with assisted reproductive technologies. She is currently a researcher at the McGill Genome Center performing COVID-19 high-throughput sequencing.
Career aspiration:
Sally hopes to participate in research that analyzes the effects of pharmaceuticals and supplementation and the associated genetic and epigenetic changes.
Why does Sally deserve a spotlight?
Sally is involved in processing samples from multiple SARS-CoV-2 viral genomics projects funded by CoVaRR-Net such as CUBE, viral evolution projects, and many more. She is also active in managing samples, operating state-of-the-art genomic instruments, and performing high-throughput sequencing.
Elisabeth Mercier
Elisabeth Mercier, BSc, BASc, is an environmental engineering PhD candidate under the supervision of Dr. Robert Delatolla at the University of Ottawa. She graduated from a dual degree program with a BSc in biochemistry and a BASc in chemical engineering. She was part of the team that first detected SARS-CoV-2 and subtyped influenza A in wastewater in Canada and has recently worked to expand wastewater surveillance to other pathogens such as RSV. Recently, Elisabeth was invited to present her work on flu and RSV in wastewaters to the eighth international EU Sewage Sentinel System for SARS-CoV-2 (EU4S) town hall and to the Ontario Ministry of Health Long-Term Care RSV Advisory Group.
Career aspiration:
Her career aspiration is to oversee a health tech company focused on bridging healthcare gaps in underserved communities.
Why does Elisabeth deserve a spotlight?
As part of Dr. Robert Delatolla’s research team at the University of Ottawa, Elisabeth spearheaded the development of protocols and managed the analysis of wastewater surveillance data from 10 locations in Ontario. This pioneering initiative marked the first public release of such data in Canada, serving as the foundational layer for the construction of the PHES-ODM.
Sana Naderi
Career Aspiration:
After finishing her PhD, Sana would like to continue working in genomic epidemiology and bioinformatics in industry.
Why does Sana deserve a spotlight?
Sana has been incredibly productive during her first year as a MSc student, contributing to a paper on the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 introduction events and transmission in Quebec, and also leading a paper on SARS-CoV-2 adaptation to different animal species, recently published in eLife. She has worked closely with members of Pillars 2 and 6 (CAMEO) on this work and is now undertaking an analysis of sequence data from wastewater. Her quantitative background has served her well in this work, and she is very quickly getting up to speed in infectious disease biology. She is a welcome presence in the lab and as part of the CoVaRR-Net team!
Paul Stretenowich
Paul Stretenowich is a bioinformatics specialist and has been a part of the TechDev team for the Canadian Center for Computational Genomics (C3G) since April 2019. He is involved in the development of GenPipes’s pipelines, bioinformatics analysis and GenPipes’s user support. Paul is also involved in maintaining, installing and updating software for the TechDev team in a shared stack: CVMFS. Prior to joining McGill, Paul worked as a bioinformatician at the University of Montreal. He earned his engineering qualifications in France.
Career aspiration:
Paul hopes to continue growing his skill set in pipeline development and software installation in order to lead large-scale projects, such as CoVSeQ, in the future.
Why does Paul deserve a spotlight?
Paul provides bioinformatics support for CoVaRR-Net Pillar 5, Viral Genomics and Sequencing. He is responsible for designing and supporting the SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing analysis pipelines.
Julian Willett
Julian Willett, MD, PhD, is a bioinformatician with the McGill Genome Centre who has studied how we can use the genetic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in order to better understand how it causes disease.
Career aspiration:
Julian has an interest in conducting computational and functional genomics research as it relates to aerospace medicine and other topics that could be contributory.
Why does Julian deserve a spotlight?
Julian studied the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in an animal host, finding that a host was sufficient to drive viral evolution.
Carly G Morrisseau
Career aspirations:
Drawing from their background in social media, Carly is driven by a commitment to continue advocating for and uplifting Indigenous voices. Their goal is to shine a spotlight on Indigenous representation within popular culture, fostering ongoing visibility and recognition. Carly remains dedicated to continuously ensuring that Indigenous narratives and perspectives receive celebration both in the digital realm and across contemporary spheres.
Why does Carly deserve a spotlight?
Carly has shaped the identity of CIEDAR’s social media presence and has worked to ensure that Indigenous voices and perspectives are centred in CIEDAR’s communication efforts across platforms.
Agatha Komsic-Vranjkovic
Agatha Komsic-Vranjkovic, PhD, is a Research Associate at the Crawley Lab of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and serves as the Research Ethics and Access Officer for the CoVaRR-Net Biobank’s Bioethics team. Agatha spent many years serving on the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board, where her interest in ethical principles emerged. The depth of this experience is an asset to the Biobank’s Bioethics team. Her responsibilities include, but are not limited to, operations and review of client research ethics, compliance, and integrity standards, policies, and procedures relating to research undertaken by the CoVaRR-Net Biobank, partner institutions and external agencies.
Agatha earned a PhD from the University of Ottawa and a BSc from McGill University, both in programs of microbiology and immunology. Her doctorate research advanced understanding of HIV immunopathogenesis and the impact of antiretrovirals on the immune system. She specializes in the fine analysis of cellular immunity in chronic infectious diseases, through which she mastered high-throughput multi-parameter cell phenotyping and biomarker screening, and primary cell culture techniques. These skills are vital to the Biobank, where she also leads staff training.
Career aspirations:
As a mom of two, Agatha is passionate about creating a positive impact on society through her work. Throughout her career, she has benefited greatly from the guidance and support of mentors who have helped her develop both professionally and personally. She aspires to pay it forward as a mentor, sharing her knowledge and experience with budding young scientists, hoping to inspire and empower them to reach their full potential.
Why does Agatha deserve a spotlight?
Since its establishment in 2020, Agatha has had an essential role with the CoVaRR-Net Biobank and the Biobank’s Bioethics team. At the OHRI, in April 2020, Agatha was the first to begin processing blood samples to collect cells from hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, while the rest of the lab was ordered home. For months, she worked tirelessly, under high stress conditions to do this important work, prior to the launch of the Biobank.
Her extensive knowledge of laboratory and clinical trial procedures and ethical expertise are assets for investigators’ research grant applications and research ethics study documents for various ethics boards across Canada. She is also a co-author of the Biobank’s first white paper on pandemic preparedness biobanking (Saginur et al., JAMMI 2022). Agatha links Biobank clients by facilitating contractual procedures between providers and recipients to enact rapid, fair and safe specimen/data transfers.
Working closely with the University of Ottawa Contracts Office, Agatha contributed significantly to drafting novel documents such as the CoVaRR-Net Universal Data and Biological Materials Transfer Agreement (UDBMTA). Additionally, Agatha has advocated for the Biobank contributing scientists, and provided guidance concerning privacy in data protection and developed an authorship clause annexed into the CoVaRR-Net Network Agreement.
Justin Jia
Justin Jia, PhD, obtained his BSc in biochemistry and biomedical sciences from McMaster University in 2017 and his PhD in bioinformatics/molecular biology and biochemistry at Simon Fraser University in 2023. Justin helped develop the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) – globally, the most widely cited antimicrobial resistance database over the past decade. Justin has employed a diverse array of genomics and metagenomics methodologies to investigate the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance within a One Health framework. This research also centered on optimizing the detection of antimicrobial resistance-associated genes from environmental data.
Presently, Justin is a postdoctoral fellow under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Brinkman, developing analyses for microbial genomic epidemiology and environmental surveillance of emerging pathogens. He actively contributes to the national CoVaRR-Net CAMEO initiative, which he co-coordinates, and the VirusSeq Data Portal, furthering our understanding of COVID-19 and other microbial threats on a national scale.
Career aspirations:
Justin’s career aspiration is to innovate in bioinformatics by creating tools to better analyze, interpret, and visualize complex biological data sets, with a specific focus on microbial datasets within a One Health framework. His goal is to drive advancements in both research and practical applications, with the aim of deepening our comprehension of environmental microbes and their wide-ranging implications across industries, with a particular interest in public health.
Why does Justin deserve a spotlight?
Justin takes fundamental ideas and transforms them into very useful, practical computational tools or insights that have impact. As proof of his impact, Justin’s research had already been cited over 2600 times at the time of his PhD graduation last year (2023). We are grateful for Justin’s commitment to enabling positive change, using diverse microbiological and computational expertise and leadership skills to take action in CAMEO. Justin is currently further developing new data analyses and visualizations, including the national Duotang resource that is based on the VirusSeq Data Portal (the first open national sequence database of its kind in Canada). Justin’s work will continue to have an impact.
Audray Fortin
Audray Fortin obtained a B.Sc. in biomedical sciences at Université de Montréal. After working as a technician in clinical research on metabolic bone disease, she joined Dr. Nathalie Grandvaux’s lab in 2014. She evolved from research assistant to lab manager. Initially involved in a project aimed at characterizing the biochemical mechanism that controls the interferon response, she is now in charge of SARS-CoV-2-related research.
Career aspirations:
Audray combines her passion for science and a relentless drive for knowledge to implement innovative methodologies with the ultimate goal of contributing to scientific discovery. In the future, she aspires to be involved in science that positively impacts people.
Why does Audray deserve a spotlight?
Audray is a passionate individual who thoroughly enjoys working on various projects. She is always enthusiastic and positive, regardless of the challenge at hand. Initially, Audray took on the challenge of developing biochemical techniques to study the redox mechanisms that control the interferon response. Her role is central, and she excels as a trainer in the laboratory, teaching newcomers about cell culture and various techniques.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Audray’s enthusiasm did not wane. She quickly sought ways to be helpful and revealed talents of which we were previously unaware. Together, with her colleague Elise Caron, she responded to the call from medical technologists in Quebec by writing a popular science article on SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, and diagnostic methods, showcasing her writing skills.
She also eagerly participated in an innovative interdisciplinary project aimed at producing diagnostic swabs through 3D printing. Collaborating with engineers, physicists, and clinicians, she successfully led the development of a clinically tested swab production line. Additionally, she established the Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) protocols for handling SARS-CoV-2 and actively contributed to writing an FCI funding proposal to equip a room in the BSL3. Subsequently, she implemented methods for producing and purifying SARS-CoV-2 variants, contributing to several collaborative projects.
Currently, Audray is working on testing synergies between clinically used molecules against SARS-CoV-2 and molecules targeting the host. Concurrently, she successfully cultured SARS-CoV-2 present in bioaerosols collected from patient rooms, demonstrating her rare expertise in showing the infectivity of viruses in these particles.
Her outstanding contribution to the research conducted within our team is simply exceptional, and she accomplishes all of this with a smile and great enthusiasm. Audray has the gift of instilling optimism even in moments of discouragement.
Zohaib Anwar
Zohaib Anwar, PhD, is a CIHR- and MSHRBC-funded postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Infectious Disease Genomics and One Health (CIDGOH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University. His research focuses on infectious disease genomics and bioinformatics. As the lead of the VIRUS-MVP project (previously known as COVID-MVP), Zohaib spearheads efforts to track SARS-CoV-2 mutations from clinical and wastewater samples, providing crucial insights into the ever-evolving landscape of the pandemic. As part of the Pillar 6 – CAMEO initiative, he is expanding his focus toward pandemic preparedness by adapting VIRUS-MVP to monitor other priority pathogens, such as Influenza. Zohaib is also part of the multidisciplinary project Pandemics and Borders, which aims to evaluate the border and travel policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is aiming to use the genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 as a proxy to evaluate the measures in place. Zohaib completed his PhD as a Marie Curie fellow at Aarhus University, Denmark in November 2019 and in the summer of 2020, joined CIDGOH led by Dr. William Hsiao.
Career aspirations:
Following his postdoctoral research fellowship, Zohaib aspires to continue working in One Health organizations, applying microbial genomics and bioinformatics to tackle global infectious disease challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.
Why does Zohaib deserve a spotlight?
Zohaib has been leading the VIRUS-MVP project that has been integrated into the national genomic surveillance ecosystem for SARS-CoV-2 through the Canadian VirusSeq Data Portal. The preprint was published and now the journal manuscript is being prepared after adapting the framework to other priority pathogens. In addition to leading and maintaining VIRUS-MVP, Zohaib works with Pillar 6 (CAMEO) on several initiatives, including maintaining and developing the Duotang genomic epidemiology notebook. He brings genomics and bioinformatics skills to the CoVaRR-Net, which complement the expertise and activities of other consortium members well.