Work we're about to release.
In September 2026, we worked with our collaborators at Chulabhorn Royal Academy to deliver a workshop on Infectious Disease ‘omics in Bangkok.
We generated a high-quality reference genome for Phlebotomus perniciosus, a major Mediterranean sand fly vector of Leishmania infantum and phleboviruses, using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing; the optimized assembly yielded a 143 Mb genome with 95% BUSCO completeness, 12,492 genes, and a complete mitochondrial genome. This resource provides a foundation for investigating vector competence and adaptive traits, advancing genomic tools for phlebotomine sand flies and supporting leishmaniasis surveillance and control strategies.
In April, we delivered our annual four-day LSHTM and online short course on infectious disease ‘omics. The programme covered a range of topics, including sequencing, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and phylodynamics. The course brought together over 45 multidisciplinary participants (see picture) from more than 10 countries.
