Phylogeographic analysis of susceptible and resistant Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from Manitoba

Aspergillus fumigatus is a widely distributed filamentous fungus found in soil and decaying organic material. It is also capable of causing serious respiratory infections in those with underlying health conditions, and it was named as a top-priority fungal pathogen by the World Health Organization. Recent global evidence demonstrated that agricultural antifungals contribute to clinical antifungal cross-resistance in A. fumigatus isolates. Given Manitoba’s cold climate and frequent antifungal use in agriculture, it presents an ideal setting to study A. fumigatus populations and their environmental adaptation. We conducted the first sampling for Manitoba isolates in 2024. We will use whole-genome sequencing to examine the relationship of ~ 200 Manitoba A. fumigatus to global isolates, which greatly extends the number of Canadian isolates in the global sequenced dataset. We will examine the genetic basis of resistant isolates and explore the potential impact of temperature on adaptation to northern latitudes. This internship will facilitate training with global A. fumigatus genomics experts at the Imperial College of London and establish a computational pipeline to analyze A. fumigatus genomic data at the University of Manitoba. Importantly, the project will provide a baseline and framework for future surveillance studies across Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Aleeza Gerstein

Student:

Partner:

Imperial College School of Public Health

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health)

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: