McMaster University
Plague Pathogen Population History Informed by Integrative Analysis
Researchers found that genetic analyses of Yersinia pestis genomes alone could not sufficiently track the slow-mutating microbes, which have an unstable molecular clock.
Black Death Sequencing Study Reveals Impacts on Human Immune Evolution, Autoimmune Disease
Researchers profiled DNA sequences in hundreds of ancient Europeans to find immune gene- and autoimmune disease-related variants under selection during the plague pandemic.
Novel Locus Tied to Rheumatic Heart Disease in Black Africans
A lack of an independent cohort limited the researchers' ability to replicate their finding and underscored the need for better representation of Africans in research.
Canadian Consortium Launches COVID Cloud to Support Molecular Research
Led by DNAstack and supported by Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster, COVID Cloud looks to build a nationwide bioinformatics infrastructure to address the pandemic.
Smallpox Vaccine Strains From US Civil War Era Identified Through Metagenomic Sequencing
By sequencing samples from historical vaccination kits, a team from McMaster University identified which viruses were in use as smallpox vaccine strains.