CDC established the US Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence (PGCoE) network to foster and improve innovation and technical capacity in pathogen genomics, molecular epidemiology, and bioinformatics to improve the public health system’s response to infectious disease threats with resilience, flexibility, and the latest practical advances in laboratory technology, scientific computing, and applied research. The network represents an unprecedented opportunity to expand and deepen collaboration between US public health agencies and universities to form a national resource that will advance genomic surveillance.

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The Center for Applied Pathogen Epidemiology and Outbreak Control (CAPE) is dedicated to advancing the use of pathogen sequence data to inform public health response and policy. Led by a collaborative and experienced team, CAPE is a multi-site center with Tonia Parrott (PI – Georgia Department of Public Health; GDPH), Justin Bahl (Co-PI – University of Georgia; UGA), and Rebecca Hutchins (Co-PI – Georgia Tech Research Institute; GTRI) at the helm. Late 2023, Arunachalam Ramaiah of the Georgia Department of Public Health, was appointed Director of the Georgia Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence.

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At the heart of the CAPE concept is the belief that diverse domains of expertise should work closely together, creating solutions and aiding public health laboratories in execution. This center operates as a dynamic public health-academic collaboration network, uniting researchers from institutions such as UGA, GTRI, Augusta University (AU), Georgia State University (GSU), Emory University, and The University of Texas School of Public Health (UTSPH). The collective goal is to operationalize innovative solutions and construct robust computational infrastructure, empowering public health partners to more effectively combat epidemic and pandemic diseases by addressing systematic barriers to control. This entails overcoming technical challenges, fostering innovative solutions, and providing a framework to support an applied infectious disease research program that can inform real-time public health responses. Through these efforts, CAPE aims to contribute significantly to the enhancement of public health practices and the protection of communities from infectious disease threats.