Omicron hits Lincoln Parish
December 23, 2021
It’s official — Omicron is here in Lincoln Parish. Natalie Wise, nurse practitioner at the Michael Brooks Health Clinic in Ruston, said Wednesday that the clinic has been informed that a positive COVID test detected earlier this week is now the first Omicron case detected in the Louisiana Department of Health’s Region 8. Read more...
Genomic Surveillance Is Essential To Track Covid-19 Variants in Both Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Populations
December 1, 2021
The course of the Covid-19 pandemic depends not only on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes, but on how communities respond to it. Public health officials can only make decisions to protect their communities if they know how much virus is circulating locally, which viral variants are present, and whether variants are emerging that may be more virulent or transmissible, or less susceptible to vaccines or medications. The only way to do this is through adequate genomic sequencing, which may not be available in communities that need it. Improvements in sequencing technology, training, and lab availability can help overcome barriers to representation and strengthen sequencing capacity and fill in large gaps in genomic data in the US and around the world. Collaboration and trust are crucial for working with communities to track the virus and get ahead of the pandemic. Read more...
Local collaboration helps researchers everywhere better understand COVID-19
November 19, 2021
Through collaborative efforts between local researchers and health care providers, along with community participation and engagement, progress is being made in gathering data that allows scientists to better understand how COVID-19 and variants might impact public health. Louisiana Tech, Grambling State, and LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) have teamed with local organizations like the GSU’s Foster Johnson Health Center, TechCare, and The Health Hut to provide the opportunity for high quality testing and viral genome sequencing for minority and marginalized communities. Read more...
Tech to partner with GSU, LSUHS to track COVID-19 variants
June 14, 2021
Louisiana Tech University will partner with LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) and Grambling State University (GSU) to establish a regional hub to share SARSCoV-2 genomic data for cases of COVID-19 in north Louisiana. This partnership will increase the reach of a Rockefeller Foundation program designed to strengthen global capabilities to detect and respond to pandemic threats. Read more...
The Rockefeller Foundation Announces Key Grants & Collaborations to Strengthen Global Genomic Sequencing & Data Sharing
June 9, 2021
The Rockefeller Foundation announces over $20 million in funding and several non-financial collaborations to help strengthen global capabilities to detect and respond to pandemic threats by strengthening organizations’ abilities to sequence and share genomic information and other data rapidly. Collaborating with over 20 organizations from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, this enhanced network will begin to shape The Rockefeller Foundation’s pandemic prevention institute. Read more...