Project Summary Discipline A Microbiology Track 4 Whole Genome Sequencing The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Microbiology Laboratory is a member of the FDA Genome Trakr program. Through this federal program, the laboratory can genetically sequence the DNA of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, allowing the sequence to be compared with the DNA sequences of similar pathogens. This comparison allows epidemiologists to determine if a pathogen in a food product is the organism causing human illness. This in information can then be shared with food regulatory staff of government agencies, allowing the agencies to remove the contaminated food product from commerce, preventing additional illnesses. It is the goal of the program to whole genome sequence as many historic foodborne pathogens as possible, to be shared with scientists and researchers around the world to determine track foodborne pathogens in an effort to prevent future illness.