For many years now, the study of pathogens’ genomes has enabled more accurate and timely diagnostics while allowing the tracking of specific strains or isolates. This can help discover the source of a specific epidemic and how it spread, which in turn informs the best way to contain it. However, recent advances in third-generation sequencing techniques and the bioinformatics tools linked with them have redefined the game. It is now possible to sequence individual genomes much faster and much more cheaply, which is opening new avenues for pathogen tracking, even in areas with limited funding such as the global South.

Advances in genomic technologies will also facilitate the emergence of personalized medicine approaches tailored to specific infections—such as genome-guided antiretroviral therapy for HIV or drug-resistance profiling in tuberculosis. Real-time genomic surveillance, exemplified by platforms like GISAID during the COVID-19 pandemic, enables rapid detection and monitoring of emerging variants, thus improving public health responses.

This Collection invites submissions looking at human pathogens genomes and data sets to build on the knowledge already accumulated. We will also consider rapid diagnostics datasets and new techniques in genomic studies of human pathogens.

For research papers, please submit to our sister collection" Genomics of human pathogens" in BMC Genomics.

Data Notes of interest include, but are not limited to:  

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer-review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

BMC Genomic Data is calling for submissions to our Collection on animal data notes. The number of available genomic datasets has grown tremendously over the past decade. This growth has been notably accelerated by the advances in the field that now enable faster and more accurate sequencing of genomes, and at reasonable costs. Key challenges associated with this increase in datasets is ensuring they are easily found, facilitating their dissemination, and enabling easy reuse. The FAIR Guiding Principles provide important guidelines towards accomplishing this aim, but collections such as this one can also facilitate access to specific subsets of datasets.

Furthering our understanding of the genetic makeup of animal species is crucial for a multitude of applications, including conservation biology, veterinary medicine, and agriculture. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing and similar techniques has enabled researchers to produce detailed datasets that offer insights into species diversity, evolutionary relationships, and the genetic basis of traits. For instance, the integration of omics approaches has enabled a more holistic understanding of biological processes, leading to innovations in animal breeding. For example, the identification of immune-related genes that can be targeted to enhance disease resistance in livestock. In addition, emerging applications such as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning for data analysis, environmental metagenomics, and genomic approaches to conservation of threatened species are also areas of interest.

It is through insights like these, and by continuing to produce and share an ever-increasing body of relevant datasets, that we can hope to deepen our understanding of the world around us and how the different species inhabiting our environment interact. Furthermore, we may be able to identify traits that make certain animal populations more resilient to challenges like climate change. By working together and sharing their results, researchers can hope to tackle challenges in animal biology and ecology and help shape a healthier and more sustainable planet.

Data notes of interest include, but are not limited, to:

Comparative genomics of mammals

Advances in transcriptomics for animal research

integration of multi-omics approaches in animal studies

Genomic insights into animal health and disease

Population genetics of wild species

Epigenomic profiling in livestock

Functional annotation of animal genomes

Genomic selection in aquaculture

Genome editing technologies in veterinary science

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer-review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.