microbiologyresearch.org
Public and patient involvement: exploring public partnership in pathogen whole-genome sequencing research and its data visualisation
Pathogen genomics is increasingly used in publicly funded studies and has important implications for understanding infectious diseases and their spread. However, unlike many other research areas, it has seen little patient and public involvement (PPI), thereby missing opportunities to enhance both research processes and outcomes. This project addressed that gap by exploring the potential contribution of PPI to pathogen genomics, using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data visualisation as an exemplar. Following ethical approvals, three 2 h PPI workshops involving five public contributors and six academic contributors were held online. Sessions were documented using visual meeting notes. Workshops were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using an iterative thematic analysis. Two interconnected themes were identified. First, effective public involvement required collaborative sense-making, achieved through co-producing a shared knowledge base, establishing consistent terminology and developing effective practices for knowledge exchange. Second, participants highlighted three priority areas for meaningful PPI in future pathogen genomics research: (i) prioritising research questions, (ii) contributing to decisions about data collection and use and (iii) supporting the communication of findings. Although pathogen genomics is technically complex, this did not prevent productive discussion about how, where and why PPI could be integrated into research. Expanding PPI in this area could help align pathogen WGS research with patient priorities, inform approaches to data governance and improve the accessibility of research outputs to the public. Realising this potential, however, will require active engagement from researchers in the field.
