The Power of Genomics to Understand the COVID-19 Pandemic (FutureLearn)

Gain insights into tracking, treating, preventing, and preparing for pandemics through genome sequencing and data sharing. See how viral genomics can improve the response to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Genomics is crucial in understanding and responding to pandemics, including COVID-19. On this three-week course, you’ll learn key concepts in viral genomics, how they can be applied to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they can help us prepare for future pandemics.

Enroll in course

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Explore genome sequencing and the SARS-CoV-2 genome

The course starts with a review of how viruses cause diseases and pandemics, examining the factors that can lead to a public health emergency.

You’ll also get a comprehensive introduction to the SARS-CoV-2 genome structure, and learn how genome sequencing is used in COVID-19 surveillance.

Learn about COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics development

Once you’re comfortable with the basics of genome sequencing and the contributing factors of pandemics, you’ll move on to vaccines and therapeutics.

You will have an overview of the development and production of COVID-19 vaccines and the available treatments of the disease, and you’ll gain further insights into the impact of viral variants.

Understand why viral genomic surveillance is critical

You’ll see how sharing genomic sequencing helps experts understand disease epidemiology, allowing them to give better advice and to be more prepared for the future.

Ultimately, this course will show you how important genomics is for developing effective strategies, not only against the COVID-19 pandemic but, importantly, against pandemics in general.

Syllabus

Week 1: Pandemics and their origins

Week 2: Viruses, Variants and Vaccines

Week 3: Epidemiology and Tracking in a pandemic

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Describe how viruses cause diseases and pandemics

- Discuss the use of sequence data for detecting and tracking the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants

- Describe the development and action of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2

- Evaluate the role of genomic epidemiology in pandemic decision-making

- Explain how data sharing contributes to developing effective strategies against the pandemic
Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the genomics response to the current pandemic. While no prior knowledge about COVID-19 is required, it is likely to be most useful to researchers, healthcare professionals, science journalists, policymakers, and those working in public health.