Continuation of Novel Analytical and Empircal Approaches to the Origin and Prediction of Pathogenicity

摘要

This project has sought to better understand and predict outbreaks of infectious disease over time and space. It has endeavored to extend phylogenetic methods to understand the mutation and recombination events among pathogen genomes associated with the emergence of infectious diseases, and to layer this information with phenotypic and geographic data, enhanced with avian tissue collections. In this final phase of this project, we continued to focus on the use of large datasets of genetic sequences for hosts and pathogens, while working on phylogenetic visualization and also collecting avian specimens pertinent to the realm of biogeographical and host-pathogen research. We extended our research by generalizing our approach to phylogenetic networks, and helped to address DOD's and the nation's STEM future workforce needs by creating project-related science education programs and resources for 7th 12th grade science teachers and students.