SUMMARY: MICROBIOLOGY ANALYTICAL TRACK 4 (WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING) The ability to sequence the genomes of microbiological contaminants of food has completely transformed food surveillance and foodborne illness outbreak management. The core tenet of this multifaceted proposal is to contribute a comprehensive and integrated food protection laboratory hub to the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) that is capable of analyzing many different foods across a diversity of threat priorities. In this light, whole genome sequencing is an indispensable component of our goal of helping to ensure a safe food supply. The MDH Laboratories Administration applied for and was awarded 3 years of FERN cooperative agreements for whole genome sequencing. This proposal now seeks to maintain this momentum by offering to sequence 250 isolates per year and contribute the resulting data to GenomeTrakr. Activities within this analytical track will be purposefully focused to achieve the general 15 Specific Aims that were articulated in the PAR-20-105 program announcement, as well as the 8 track-specific aims. Effort will be integrated with the other analytical tracks in this large and multi-disciplinary proposal. These synergistic activities will further strengthen the collaboration between the MDH Laboratories Administration and the FDA/FERN.