Mainstreaming pathogen genomics - Highlights from the SIDC workshop

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Mainstreaming pathogen genomics: Highlights from the SIDC workshop

In collaboration with the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC), the Asia Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Asia PGI) recently delivered a workshop titled ‘Pathogen genomics in action: Designing systems for public health impact’ as part of the Sarawak Science, Health, Innovation & Engineering (SHInE) International Conference 2026. The workshop brought together regional and global experts, industry representatives, and local stakeholders to discuss practical tools, decision-making frameworks, and real-world use cases for integrating pathogen genomics into national public health surveillance systems.

Earlier in the conference, Asst. Prof. Khoo Yoong Khean delivered a talk on ‘The evolving role of pathogen surveillance in global health,’ underscoring the critical need for integrated genomic programmes. He also participated in a panel discussion titled ‘From ideas to value: Scaling impact through SHInE,’ exploring practical pathways to scale health innovations in the region. These sessions laid a strategic foundation for the deep dive into mainstreaming pathogen genomics for public health at the Asia PGI workshop.

Sarawak SHInE conference - Asia PGI workshop group photo

Group photo from the Asia PGI and SIDC workshop at the Sarawak Science, Health, Innovation & Engineering International (SHInE) Conference 2026. Photo credit: Sarawak SHInE

Frameworks and tools

Following introductory remarks from SIDC and an overview of Asia PGI’s regional vision, the workshop focused on equipping participants with an actionable toolkit for designing and implementing pathogen genomics programmes, co-developed with the World Health Organization’s International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN). The sessions highlighted three primary focus areas:

Genomics use cases: Ms Ashley Tsai introduced the IPSN Use Cases Framework, which outlines 11 public health use cases for genomics across public health surveillance, special studies, and clinical management. Attendees engaged in discussions on which use cases offered the highest immediate value to their health systems and shared insights on those currently operational in their respective contexts.
Pathogen prioritisation: Asst. Prof Suci Wulandari introduced key criteria for prioritising pathogens, including disease burden, economic impact, outbreak risk, and genomic utility. Attendees gained hands-on experience with the Asia PGI Pathogen Prioritisation Tool, designed to help public health practitioners assess pathogens systematically and target genomic efforts where they deliver maximum public health impact at the country level.
Market shaping and equitable access: Discussions addressed economic levers for lowering sequencing costs, such as maximising machine utilisation through multiplexing, coordinating multi-pathogen surveillance streams, and leveraging pooled procurement. Asst. Prof Shurendar Selva Kumar shared Asia PGI's ongoing work to drive affordability, market competition, and scale across Asia through pricing transparency, regional access schemes, alternative procurement models, and the validation of low-cost assays.

Asst Prof Yoong Khoo Khean delivering a talk at the Sarawak SHInE 2026 conference

Asst Prof Khoo Yoong Khean delivering a talk at the Sarawak SHInE 2026 conference on the 'Evolving role of pathogen surveillance in global health security.'

Ms Ashley Tsai delivering a talk at the Asia PGI workshop at the Sarawak SHInE 2026 conference

Ms Ashley Tsai outlining the utility of pathogen genomics through use cases for public health.

Real-world use cases

To complement the strategic decision-making frameworks, the program featured a diverse array of real-world pathogen genomics case studies and technological innovations:

Targeted pathogen control: Dr. Stella Mazeri presented insights on leveraging pathogen genomics to track and control rabies transmission in India, while Dr. Bony Wiem Lestari shared how genomic approaches are guiding the control and treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Indonesia.
Integrated surveillance: Assoc. Prof Tan Cheng Siang and Dr. Gerald Mboowa highlighted how pathogen genomics can be integrated into wastewater surveillance and One Health programmes, respectively, to deliver timely, actionable intelligence for public health decision-makers.
Emerging and innovative technologies: Representatives from NextGene Scientific provided an overview of the evolving technological and supply chain landscape in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Asst. Prof. Suci Wulandari introduced PathGen, an AI-enabled decision-support tool currently under development that integrates pathogen genomics data to enhance surveillance capabilities.

Asst Prof Suci Wulandari delivering a talk at the Asia PGI workshop at the Sarawak SHInE 2026 conference

Asst Prof Suci Melati Wulandari delivering a hands-on session introducing the Asia PGI Pathogen Prioritisation Tool.

Asst Prof Shurendar Kumar delivering a talk at the Asia PGI workshop at the Sarawak SHInE 2026 conference

Asst Prof Shurendar Selva Kumar discussing levers for lowering the costs of pathogen genomics sequencing.

This workshop forms an integral part of Asia PGI’s broader commitment to support the mainstreaming of pathogen genomics into public health systems across the region. Building robust, sustainable, and impact-driven surveillance systems requires collaboration tailored to localised public health priorities. Asia PGI looks forward to deepening its partnership with SIDC and working alongside global and regional partners to strengthen the utility and integration of pathogen genomics in Asia.

Group photo of Asia PGI and SIDC representatives. From left to right: Ms Ashley Tsai, Asst Prof Shurendar Selva Kumar, Dr. Bryan Wee, Asst Prof Suci Melati Wulandari, Asst Prof Khoo Yoong Khean.

Frameworks and tools

Real-world use cases

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