Science and Medicine

COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium

The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium was a group of academic institutions and public health agencies in the United Kingdom created in April 2020 to collect, sequence and analyse genomes of SARS-CoV-2 at scale, as part of COVID-19 pandemic response. The genome data generated by COG-UK was integrated with epidemiological data and patient health records to monitor introductions into the UK, community transmission and outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2; to assess changes in transmissibility and virulence; and to evaluate the impact of treatments and non-pharmaceutical interventions. COG-UK members also undertook research that integrated human genomic and health data to understand the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and its impact on those infected. The consortium identified the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant (at the time, referred to as Variant of Concern 202012/01) in November 2020, which became the subject of subsequent investigations by the UK public health agencies, coordinated by Public Health England and supported by COG-UK. Between April and September 2021, SARS-CoV-2 sequencing transitioned to become a public health-led national service, after which COG-UK focused on data linkage, research and international training. The consortium formally closed at the end of March 2023.

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See also

• ▸Dire wolf
• ▸Gil Evans
• ▸Conflict epidemiology

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