Interrogation of Viral Genomes, Viral Translation, and Intellectual Property Systems for Access to Essential Research Tools

Abstract

Viral translation and viral fitness can be sequence dependent and can be interrogated using synthetic systems of viral elements in combination with modified pipelines of profiling translation events (e.g., ribosome profiling). Development of modified ribosome profiling techniques can aid in capturing robust sequencing information and reduces undesirable sequence content that can obscure low abundance transcripts. For viral sequencing, amplicon-based enrichment, and next generation sequencing of viruses can provide useful sequence-specific information but has high potential for multimodal contamination which can make interpreting data difficult. Development of synthetic tools to track and trace contamination events in sequencing pipelines is fruitful towards more confident data analysis. Both research studies outline the importance of controlling experimental systems to enhance sequence level information. Lastly, scientific innovation does not take place within a vacuum and access to scientific tools and process knowledge is essential for greater adoption within public health fields. Legal principles such as trade secrets, cut against core areas of open access to data and sharing of innovative toolsets for interrogating viruses. Together developing biotechnology tools for medicine must interface with legal and international systems to increase access and utility outside of the research laboratory. Exploring intellectual property frameworks that do not enforce trade secrecy should be implemented, with the goal of increase access to scientific innovation, in so doing, increasing equity in public health. Collectively this work aims to strengthen the intersection of science, law, and policy for public health.