Genomic surveillance expert Eneida Hatcher joins SIB today as director of the Centre for Pathogen Bioinformatics. Coming from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), she brings over a decade of experience in developing tools and standards for pathogen data, to support infectious-disease research and public-health strategies. Her appointment strengthens Switzerland's leadership in pathogen tracking and epidemic preparedness — including through the Centre’s flagship global project, the Pathogen Data Network (PDN).
Keeping Switzerland at the forefront of epidemic preparedness
The Centre for Pathogen Bioinformatics coordinates an integrated ecosystem of databases and tools for tracking and understanding infectious microbes through analysis of their complete genetic sequences (genomic surveillance). Built by SIB scientists, these resources underpin pathogen monitoring and research at the national and international level — from seasonal threats like SARS-CoV-2 and influenza to emerging ones like antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks.
The appointment of Eneida Hatcher as director reinforces the Centre’s provision of timely, high-quality knowledge on priority pathogens to Swiss federal authorities, and its ongoing expansion to new microbes of concern. Her track record in leading major US pathogen data resources, including within the NIH, also deepens SIB's collaborations for global genomic surveillance through the Pathogen Data Network.
A brief CV
- Team Lead, NCBI Virus, NIH, USA
- Virus Data Curator, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), NIH, USA
- PhD and Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
Bringing expertise across pathogen bioinformatics and outbreak response
A computational biologist by training, Hatcher shares SIB’s goal of making high-quality pathogen data and knowledge quickly available for basic research, public health strategies and pathogen surveillance. Her broad experience spans sequence analysis, data curation, and developing data standards, policies and resources used worldwide — including rapid responses during new outbreaks.
A brief CV
- Team Lead, NCBI Virus, NIH, USA
- Virus Data Curator, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), NIH, USA
- PhD and Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
Career highlights include:
- enabling sharing of viral sequences in under one day compared to eight months previously, via a freely available tool that automates the validation of sequences submitted to the main public archive, GenBank;
- addressing security concerns in sharing H5N1 avian influenza sequences during the 2024 US outbreak, through a collaboration between US federal agencies, public health labs and research institutions;
- leading the NIH’s 2022 mpox and 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak responses to facilitate genomic data sharing, which included developing an agreed naming system for genes and proteins and releasing reference sequences;
- identifying genetic markers for Ebola virus and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus.
Hatcher has further advanced global sharing of pathogen data through diverse international projects and initiatives. This includes working with the Pathogen Data Network in her previous role, as well as the Public Health Alliance for Genomic Epidemiology (PHA4GE) with which the Centre for Pathogen Bioinformatics also collaborates.
These wide-ranging experiences and connections will reinforce the Centre’s efficient coordination of interoperable resources and diverse stakeholders across the pathogen data ecosystem.
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