On May 11, 2020, the Air Force Genetics Center of Excellence at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi announced that it will aid the scientific research effort to sequence the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome, the virus strain that causes COVID-19.

The molecular diagnostic lab at Keesler AFB is just one of a large group of collaborators working together to decipher the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Keesler AFB has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, academic institutions, and other DoD labs, including the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Keesler AFB responded as soon as the overall COVID-19 response effort began.

In the coming weeks, the lab plans to conduct sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus obtained from positive cases. Sequencing of one viral genome takes anywhere between six to 12 hours. Data from the novel coronavirus will provide critical information to researchers as the virus continues to change over time.

As the reference genetic testing laboratory within the DoD, Keesler AFB knows genetic sequencing. Researchers at the lab have contributed to overall readiness efforts in testing for a wide variety of genetic markers, from rare causes of sudden cardiac death to hereditary cancers. Testing also includes pharmacogenomics, which predicts a patient’s response to drug therapy based on their genetic makeup.

To date, scientists around the world have shared over 10,000 viral genome sequences of the novel coronavirus. As the virus continues to change and spread, sequencing more SARS-CoV-2 genomes becomes vital because the cumulative data helps researchers view the rate of change over time and track the ongoing outbreak.