COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium

COVID-19 Genomics UK
EstablishedApril 2020
FocusCOVID-19 genomic sequencing
Key peopleSharon Peacock
Budget£32.2 million[1]
Location
United Kingdom

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[1][2][3] 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.[4]

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.[5][6]

Between April and September 2021, SARS-CoV-2 sequencing transitioned to become a public health-led national service,[7] after which COG-UK focused on data linkage, research and international training.[8]

The consortium formally closed at the end of March 2023.[4]

  1. ^ a b "UK launches whole genome sequence alliance to map spread of coronavirus". COG-UK Consortium. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  2. ^ Peacock, Sharon (17 December 2020). "A short history of the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium". COG-UK Consortium. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. ^ Gallagher, James (23 March 2020). "Coronavirus to be tracked using its genetic code". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2021. The project - called the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium - is a collaboration between the NHS, public health agencies and the Wellcome Sanger Institute universities. Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: "This new consortium will bring together the UK's brightest and best scientists to build our understanding of this pandemic, tackle the disease and ultimately, save lives."
  4. ^ a b "UK Government Web Archive". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  5. ^ Dec 2020, COG-UK 14 (14 December 2020). "Update on new SARS-CoV-2 variant and how COG-UK tracks emerging mutations - COG-UK Consortium". www.cogconsortium.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Wise, Jacqui (16 December 2020). "Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK". BMJ. 371: m4857. doi:10.1136/bmj.m4857. ISSN 1756-1833. PMID 33328153.
  7. ^ "How SARS-CoV-2 sequencing is becoming a national service". COG-UK consortium. 23 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021.
  8. ^ "What next for COG-UK?". 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021.