Naomi Park is part of the team that developed and rolled out the method for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 genomes at the Sanger Institute at the start of the pandemic. She led the development of improvements that enabled the team to scale up and sequence tens of thousands of coronavirus genomes every week.
Here she reflects on working on genomic surveillance in the pandemic, and being a woman working in science.
Sequencing SARS-CoV-2
When coronavirus hit, we generated the first 100 genome sequences in a matter of days. It all happened so fast I don’t think we had time to feel pressured, worry about the responsibility or even begin to understand the future of how it would be used for the surveillance of the pandemic.
It was incredible how everyone from across different teams came together with a single goal. The focus and drive that brought was electric, and there has been no other time that this has happened, as normally we work on many different projects.
The most difficult aspect as a team was working within a fluid landscape. Many details would change on a daily basis, such as the numbers and types of samples we were going to receive. Also getting hold of the reagents and plasticware was a significant challenge. But for me it was actually very clear – we needed a process to sequence COVID genomes as efficiently and quickly as possible.
This vision for me was not using the method we had put together quickly at the start, but a more streamlined process that I was sure I could get working with just a little bit of time to experiment in the lab. Of course, it didn’t work as I had hoped - that’s the reality of research and development.
That was hard – I’d said that I could develop a quicker, cheaper, simpler method but everything we tried did not give us the high data quality we needed.
It was one day at home I scribbled an idea down on a notepad which approached things a little differently. Back at work in the lab, I gave it a go and sequenced. I will never forget the moment I saw the data the next day and that I had been successful. The realisation of what that meant for our operations – I haven’t won the lottery but I imagine it’s a similar feeling.
Dr Naomi Park
Lessons learned
Having a wide diversity of scientists looking at the same problem, not just at Sanger but around the UK who we worked closely with, enabled innovation and creativity. This led to a solution for obtaining high-quality sequences of the virus at an incredible pace. We should never forget this – collaboration from a diverse set of people is how we best make big scientific leaps.
As a woman with two young children, I could not have achieved what I did if I didn’t have my husband picking up more than his fair share of household responsibility. Also, the school and nursery thankfully provided childcare. This was an unusual time, but pandemic aside, it is only when caring responsibilities are shared as a society through accessible affordable childcare and balanced expectations at home that women are enabled to focus on their careers.
Reflecting on the pandemic experience, I can see it has helped me to identify my key strengths and what can be achieved with them. It provided the opportunity to demonstrate my skills, which then supports career development. Without the pandemic and the opportunities it brought, I doubt I would have developed as much. It has highlighted to me that by the focused provision of opportunities for female scientists to excel we can unlock huge potential. All scientists have a role to play in this by passing opportunities onwards, for others to gain experience.
..it is only when caring responsibilities are shared as a society through accessible affordable childcare and balanced expectations at home that women are enabled to focus on their careers.
The future of genomic surveillance
It is likely that new SARS-CoV-2 variants will emerge sooner or later and it’s important to monitor for them. As well as informing public health responses to outbreaks, genomic data are invaluable for studying how pathogens spread and evolve.
But this isn’t just about COVID. Surveillance can help to tackle other infectious diseases, such as malaria or cholera. Establishing integrated genomic surveillance systems is a complex process, and we’ve built up considerable experience by being involved in initiatives like MalariaGEN and COG-UK. We’re already working with other countries around the world to share our experiences, resources, tools, methodology and data.
COVID has really highlighted the importance of pandemic preparedness. Broad surveillance of pathogens in circulation may help us to detect emerging threats earlier.
Diversity drives science
Globally, only around a third of scientists are women and in the UK this is around two in five. Innovation and creativity rely on diversity of thought and experience. It’s vital that women are represented at all levels, particularly senior levels where decisions are made.
Innovation and creativity rely on diversity of thought and experience. It’s vital that women are represented at all levels, particularly senior levels where decisions are made.
