COVID-19 Genomic Epidemiology Toolkit Developer: Megan Crumpler, PhD

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Dr, Megan Crumpler

Laboratory Director

Orange County, CA Public Health Laboratory
Long Beach City, CA Public Health Laboratory

Megan Crumpler, PhD, contributed to the COVID-19 Genomic Epidemiology Toolkit’s case studies by presenting data from whole genome sequencing (WGS) used to confirm a case of true reinfection with SARS-CoV-2. This case study demonstrates the value of WGS for identifying SARS-CoV-2 reinfections.

Megan Crumpler is the laboratory director at both Orange County and Long Beach City Public Health Laboratories. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. She obtained her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, where she studied the immune evasion techniques of Cytomegalovirus in guinea pigs.

“We are all still learning new ways to use WGS data to guide genomic epidemiology for use in public health investigations such as outbreaks, vaccine breakthroughs, and reinfections. Though the public health community has utilized WGS for outbreak investigations of foodborne illness and pathogens like MRSA, the COVID-19 pandemic catapulted the importance of WGS to inform public health decision making.”