System for the evolutionary and epidemiological characterization of newly isolated influenza strains

Influenza virus is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths worldwide annually. The virus undergoes rapid
evolution that allows it to repeatedly evade our existing immunity. It is crucial to track and understand the
changes in influenza virus circulating globally. New variant strains are regularly isolated and sequenced but
evolutionary analysis is largely done on an ad hoc basis. We propose to create a prototype software system that
can regularly collate newly sequenced virus sequences and automatically perform evolutionary analyses in the
context of previously circulating strains. This will ultimately also help inform policy on surveillance and control of
influenza.