Dr Rhys White is a computational biologist specialising in microbial genomics, particularly in the field of pathogenic microorganisms. Rhys earned his BSc (Hons) from Cardiff University and completed his PhD at The University of Queensland. At ESR, Rhys has been instrumental in analysing and reporting on COVID-19 and New Zealand’s responses to the pandemic. Now, Rhys’ research combines genomics and evolutionary biology to address fundamental questions about pathogen evolution. By utilising advanced genomic techniques and bioinformatics, including short-read sequencing technologies and Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-reads, Rhys’ work sheds light on the evolution, emergence, and dissemination of pathogens in New Zealand.