Tracking the covid 19 virus in NZ using the science of genomics

Jemma Louise Geoghegan is a Scottish-born evolutionary virologist, based in New Zealand, who specialises in researching emerging infectious diseases and the use of metagenomics to trace the evolution of viruses. As a leader in several government-funded research projects, Geoghegan became the public face of genomic sequencing during New Zealand's response to COVID-19. Her research has contributed to the discussion about the likely cause of coronavirus and the challenges around predicting pandemics. She was a recipient of the Young Tall Poppy Award in 2017 and the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship in 2020. Geoghegan is a lecturer at Otago University (New Zealand).