SPADA Book - April 11, 2017

Technical Assessment: Data Interpretation 

What are the data interpretation challenges and how will BioWatch address these challenges? • Want to detect both knowns and unknowns – What “distance” from knowns? – Desire to characterize functional potential • Incomplete databases with biased and incorrect entries • Biological diversity challenges

False Negatives

False Positives

Horizontal gene transfer (misclassification) Evolution and diversifying selection

Horizontal gene transfer (misclassification)

Similar species

Different species (and host material) with some shared genomic sequences

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Technical Assessment: The Path Forward

• Bioinformatics for complex samples to best characterize metagenomic ‘background’ • Examining potential “dual use” with additional clinical applicability • Exploring potential bio-informatics capability to enable straightforward analysis in an operational laboratory

Overall Study Goals

 Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC): Metagenomics assessment of jurisdictional background • Conducting in-depth analysis of one jurisdiction

Sequencing webinar: Spring 2017

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Conducting sequencing of jurisdictional filters

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) • Initial Assessment: What would be needed to incorporate sequencing into the BioWatch Program? • Studies – Characterize the environmental background found in BioWatch jurisdictions – Develop/confirm laboratory protocols and processes needed to support sequencing – Inform the Program about platform options (pros and cons)

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