In this episode, we chat with Dr. Andrew Warren and Dr. Rebecca Wattam about how the constantly shape-shifting SARS-CoV-2 is keeping humanity on its toes. In addition to discussing the variants of concern, we discuss how scientists and policymakers have responded in this fluid landscape. 

Dr. Andrew Warren is a Research Assistant Professor at the Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative at the University of Virginia, a Senior Scientist and Senior Software Engineer for BVBRC under NIAID. His research interests include developing and applying algorithms for processing biological data for insight and hypothesis testing using comparative genomics, experimental analysis, machine learning, data mining, and graph modeling. Full bio at https://biocomplexity.virginia.edu/person/andrew-warren

Dr. Rebecca Wattam is a Research Associate Professor in the Network Simulation Science and Advanced Computing (NSSAC) Division within the Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia. Rebecca received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of New Mexico in Biology, and a joint Ph.D. in Entomology and Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rebecca received a MacArthur Fellowship to conduct postdoctoral research at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and she completed a second postdoctoral fellowship there as well before accepting a position on the faculty at Virginia Tech. She joined NSSAC in 2018. Full bio at https://biocomplexity.virginia.edu/person/rebecca-wattam