Next Gen Diagnostics (NGD), a prominent biotechnology company specializing in automated sequencing and bioinformatic systems, is thrilled to declare the appointment of Dr. Alexander Sundermann, a highly acclaimed figure in the realm of epidemiology. Dr. Sundermann will enhance NGD’s team as Director of Infection Prevention Services, maintaining his research efforts pertaining to the utilization of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in controlling infectious spread concurrently. His expertise is honed from his association with the Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, where he is recognized for his pioneering work in prospective sequencing aimed at tracing infection transmission across American hospitals.
Noteworthily, Dr. Sundermann’s joining coincides with NGD’s augmentation of their integrated sequencing and bioinformatic systems for US hospitals and public health laboratories. His extensive body of research, undertaken with Dr. Lee Harrison – the Director of the Center for Genomic Epidemiology and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Pitt, would prove instrumental in discussions with leadership in infection prevention regarding the efficacy of prospective WGS in tracking infection spread and pathogenic resistance.
NGD and its collaborators have leveraged prospective sequencing for infection tracking since 2018, with multiple publications acknowledging their bioinformatic systems’ performance and potential (in terms of outbreak detection and accuracy). Their recent collaboration with Vanderbilt showcased the usage of WGS in a neonatal intensive care ward which further proves the indisputability of prospective WGS in infection transmission detection.
Dr. Sundermann highlighted that their WGS-based surveillance, tested alongside UPMC infection prevention team, not only positively influenced hospital operations but also improved patient safety. He is eager to disseminate his experiences and assist nationwide hospitals and public health laboratories in deploying similar systems. Their innovative automated sequencing and bioinformatics systems are already transforming routine bacterial WGS considerations in hospitals – a turning point that could be enormously beneficial for the US healthcare system.
NGD’s turn-key sequencing services and high throughput, low-cost clinical utilization of WGS are paving the way for modern pathogen bioinformatics. They also exclusively own a unique microfluidic sample preparation system for clinical and commercial use of pathogen WGS. This American company, with branches in the UK and Israel, is striving to bring WGS-based regulated diagnostics to patient care through collaborations in the US, Europe, and Israel.