About this Research Topic

Background

"Omics" technologies (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) have revolutionized human health. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic consolidated genomic epidemiology as an essential tool to study emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in humans. However, we can maximize the effectiveness of genomics epidemiology in humans by accounting for diseases' animal and environmental components. The unifying approach aiming to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems is called "One Health." Unfortunately, no single "omics" technology is sufficient to understand complex host-pathogen systems in the "One Health" context. Therefore, this Research Topic will explore the role of phylogenetics in providing evolutionary context to integrate "omics" technologies to understand complex biological systems and provide a timely literature foundation for future efforts to bridge the gap between basic research in biodiversity and applied biomedical research on EIDs.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide insight into the role of phylogenetic systematics in One Health and how to integrate "omics" technologies under an evolutionary framework. We are interested in how phylogenetic tools can be utilized in interspecies health, focusing on identifying and presenting the benefits, exploring innovative approaches and tools, and identifying and overcoming the challenges. Furthermore, this article collection aims to provide a timely literature foundation for future endeavours in developing phylogenetic methods for studying the emergence and evolution of infectious diseases and their treatments.

Topics that may be covered in this Research Topic include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Original zoonosis and interspecies health research, including analyses and modelling, specifically focusing on how it has been used for pandemic preparedness and to inform and further public health policy and practice;

• Submissions focused on the challenges of interpreting results from "omics" technologies under an evolutionary framework for public health practice and how these can be overcome;

• Submissions presenting innovative methods, approaches, and tools to leverage phylogenetic information from animal and human hosts in genomic epidemiology, especially to predict emerging infectious diseases; or

• Submissions that explore new horizons in the applications of phylogenetic methods in the three different pillars of One Health (i.e., human, animal, and environmental health).

This Research Topic was coordinated by Dr. Denis Jacob Machado. A postdoctoral researcher at UNC Charlotte's Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics(Charlotte, U.S.A.). Dr. Jacob Machado is a zoologist and bioinformaticist with solid math, statistics, and programming background. Top journals in phylogenetics, molecular biology, genomics, and virology have published his peer-reviewed publications. His current research focuses on integrating "omics" technologies through phylogenetics for applications in interspecies health.

Keywords: Cladistics, Phylogenetic Systematics, One Health, Interspecies Health, Pandemic Preparedness, Integrated Omics, Host-Pathogen Systems, Emergent Infectious Diseases

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