The Gram-negative diplococcus Neisseria meningitidis, the meningococcus, remains a globally important causative agent of meningitis and septicaemia (severe sepsis). Ten Years ago, the Meningitis Research Foundation funded the establishment of the UK ‘Meningitis Research Foundation Meningococcus Genome Library’ (MRF-MGL), with a multi-centre award to Public Health England, the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Embedded withing the PubMLST.org platform MRF-MGL) stores provenance, demographic, epidemiological, and whole genome sequence information for more than 5,000 meningococci isolated from patients in the UK over the past 10 years. Over this time, sequence-based molecular typing has become an essential component of invasive meningococcal disease surveillance world-wide and standardised typing methods and schemes have allowed comparability across reference and research laboratories in different countries. Shortly after its inception, the MRF-MGL contributed to the introduction of the ACYW meningococcal vaccines into the UK and it remains an essential resource, nationally and internationally.

Please note: This event is a hybrid event. To mark this anniversary, join us on 17 September 2021 either online or in person (limited seats!) for four one-hour sessions, each with three 15 minute presentations and a 15-minute panel discussion. The two morning sessions will highlight the establishment and public health application of the meningococcal genome library and the afternoon sessions will highlight the contributions from external users, including industry. The event starts at 10:00 and ends at 15:30 BST.

Moderator and discussion leader: Martin C.J. Maiden, University of Oxford

Speakers:

• Chris Tang, University of Oxford
• Linda Glennie, Meningitis Research Foundation
• Jay Lucidarme, Public Health England
• Holly Bratcher, University of Oxford
• Andrew Smith, University of Glasgow
• Charlene Rodrigues, University of Oxford
• Claire Cameron, Public Health Scotland
• Keith Jolley, University of Oxford
• Chris Bayliss, University of Leicester
• Muhamed-Kheir Taha, WHO Collaborating Centres
• David Stephens, Emory University
• Isabel Delany & Marco Spinsanty, GSK Italy
• Jamie Findlow, Pfizer UK

A variety of speakers from the Maiden Lab, founders and funders of the Genomic Library, as well as industry will be taking part.

Please note: This event is a hybrid event. The Oxford Martin School is hosting this workshop with up to 20 spaces available in their lecture hall for attendees who would like to come to Oxford and take part in person. Given the low number of available seats (due to Covid regulations), please let andrea.kastner@zoo.ox.ac.uk know as soon as possible whether you would like a seat reserved. The reservation can only be arranged on a first-come-first-served basis. Thank you for your understanding.