In this episode of the Bioinformatics Lab Podcast, Zachary Konkel shares his journey from studying chemistry to specializing in mycology and bioinformatics. He discusses the significance of fungi in medicine, particularly in producing antimicrobial compounds, and the challenges faced in fungal genomics. Zach highlights the development of mycotools (https://github.com/xonq/mycotools) as a solution for analyzing fungal genomes and the importance of phylogenetics in understanding fungal pathogens like Candida auris.
The conversation also touches on the growing concern of antifungal resistance and the potential for next-generation sequencing to improve outbreak detection. Finally, Zach shares his passion for mushroom foraging, connecting his scientific interests with personal hobbies.
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In this episode of the Bioinformatics Lab Podcast, Zachary Konkel shares his journey from studying chemistry to specializing in mycology and bioinformatics. He discusses the significance of fungi in medicine, particularly in producing antimicrobial compounds, and the challenges faced in fungal genomics. Zach highlights the development of mycotools (https://github.com/xonq/mycotools) as a solution for analyzing fungal genomes and the importance of phylogenetics in understanding fungal pathogens like Candida auris.
The conversation also touches on the growing concern of antifungal resistance and the potential for next-generation sequencing to improve outbreak detection. Finally, Zach shares his passion for mushroom foraging, connecting his scientific interests with personal hobbies.
Summary
In this episode of the Bioinformatics Lab Podcast, Kevin Libuit and Andrew Page discuss the complexities of analyzing MPXV genomes, particularly in light of recent outbreaks. They explore the differences between MPXV and other viruses, the challenges faced in genomic sequencing and analysis, and the importance of public health responses, including vaccination efforts. The conversation highlights the need for updated tools and resources to effectively monitor and respond to MPXV outbreaks globally.
Takeaways
Viruses require different types of treatment and analysis.
MPXV is a larger virus compared to SARS-CoV-2.
Amplicon dropout is a significant concern in sequencing.
Public health responses can effectively contain outbreaks.
Genomic surveillance is crucial for monitoring MPXV.
Different variants of MPXV require updated reference genomes.
Vaccination efforts can limit the spread of M-Pox.
The availability of hosts affects the outbreak dynamics.
Bioinformatics tools need to be adaptable for different viruses.
Collaboration among international labs enhances genomic analysis.
the bioinformatics lab
In this episode of the Bioinformatics Lab Podcast, Zachary Konkel shares his journey from studying chemistry to specializing in mycology and bioinformatics. He discusses the significance of fungi in medicine, particularly in producing antimicrobial compounds, and the challenges faced in fungal genomics. Zach highlights the development of mycotools (https://github.com/xonq/mycotools) as a solution for analyzing fungal genomes and the importance of phylogenetics in understanding fungal pathogens like Candida auris.
The conversation also touches on the growing concern of antifungal resistance and the potential for next-generation sequencing to improve outbreak detection. Finally, Zach shares his passion for mushroom foraging, connecting his scientific interests with personal hobbies.
