# Microbiology: Analytical Track 4: WGS

> **NIH FDA U19** · MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH · 2020 · $55,000

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174013
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007084-01
- **Recipient organization:** MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** SINISA URBAN
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $55,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174013

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174013, Microbiology: Analytical Track 4: WGS (1U19FD007084-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174013. Licensed CC0.

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