Dr John-Sebastian Eden
Sydney Medical School Institutes / Westmead Institute for Medical Research
Dr John-Sebastian Eden is Research Scientist in Bioinformatics and Genomics based at the Westmead Insitute for Medical Research and Senior Research Fellow in the Sydney Medical School. Dr Eden is a Virologist, who joined the University of Sydney in 2013 with a post-doctoral position in the research group of Professor Eddie Holmes and supported by an NHMRC early career fellowship. Dr Eden has a strong background in viral genome sequencing and analysis, including the application of next-generation sequencing protocols and state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods.
The evolutionary mechanisms that drive pathogen emergence and spread.This work combines high-throughput sequencing and comparative genomics to explore the patterns of genetic variation, evolution and molecular epidemiology of clinically important viruses including norovirus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus, as well as, other zoonotic and vector-borne diseases such as ross river virus. The aim of this research is to provide insights into the sources and mechanisms of how viral pathogens emerge, spread and evolve, not only at population scales but also within individual hosts, particularly in the context of infections in immunocompromised hosts. Another important focus of this research has been to better define the link between virus genetics (genotype) and infection outcome (phenotype) including the evolution of important traits such as virulence, drug-resistance and host range.
Unbiased sequencing for pathogen discovery.Recent work has focused on the application of meta-transcriptomics (total RNA sequencing) for pathogen discovery particularly in complex, undiagnosed human infections and in neglected wildlife disease outbreaks. The aim of this research is to develop robust sampling, sequencing and analytical approaches that can provide an unbiased snapshot of all microorganisms (virus, bacteria, fungi or parasite) present in a sample to aid in the diagnoses of infectious diseases, better understand microbial interactions and discovery new microbial diversity. A priority for this work is in the development of novel computational approaches to sort and annotate complex metagenomic datasets, so keen and interested bioinformatics students are encouraged to get in touch about joining the group.
- The evolution and molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus in Australia
- Revealing transmission networks using genomics for viral respiratory infections
- Metatranscriptomics for pathogen discovery
- Bioinformatics and computational methods in pathogen genomics
A number of positions are available for both honours and HDR students. Please email if you are interested in working on any of these projects (js.eden@sydney.edu.au).
- Centre for Virus Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Reseach
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity
- Biology Domain at the Charles Perkins Centre
- Professional member of the Australian Society for Microbiology
- NHMRC Peter Doherty Early Career Fellowship (2014-18)
Project title | Research student |
---|---|
Investigating the Effects of the Tuberculosis (TB)-Associated Microenvironment on HIV Persistence and CD8+ T-Cell-Mediated HIV Clearance | Samantha CRONIN |
Novel Viruses in Australian Horses, Bats, and Wildlife, Understood Through Metatranscriptomics. | K9 JENNS |
Publications
Journals
- Hurley, S., McMullan, B., Williams, D., Watson, J., Solinas, A., Kim, K., Rawlinson, W., Eden, J., Bingham, J., Rodriguez, M., Howard-Jones, A., et al (2023). Fatal Human Neurologic Infection Caused by Pigeon Avian Paramyxovirus-1, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(12), 2482-2487. [More Information]
- Maamary, J., Maddocks, S., Barnett, Y., Wong, S., Rodriguez, M., Hueston, L., Jeoffreys, N., Eden, J., Dwyer, D., Floyd, T., et al (2023). New Detection of Locally Acquired Japanese Encephalitis Virus Using Clinical Metagenomics, New South Wales, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(3), 627-630. [More Information]
- Horsburgh, B., Hiener, B., Fisher, K., Lee, E., Morgan, H., Eden, J., von Stockenstrom, S., Odevall, L., Milush, J., Hoh, R., Schlub, T., Palmer, S., et al (2022). Cellular Activation, Differentiation, and Proliferation Influence the Dynamics of Genetically Intact Proviruses over Time. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 225(7), 1168-1178. [More Information]
Conferences
- Eden, J., Lim, K., Ballouk, R., Rawlinson, W., Tanaka, M., White, P. (2012). Complex patterns of evolution led to the emergence of the current norovirus pandemic GII.4 variant, termed New Orleans 2010. 2012 Asia-Pacific Congress of Medical Virology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
- Eden, J., Bull, R., White, P. (2011). Evidence of intra-genotype recombination in the evolution of a novel norovirus GII.4 variant associated with outbreaks in NSW, Australia during 2009. Australian Microbiology Society Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Eden, J., Bull, R., White, P. (2010). Evolution of a novel GII.4 associated with outbreaks of gastroenteritis in NSW, Australia during 2009. International Calicivirus Conference.
2023
- Hurley, S., McMullan, B., Williams, D., Watson, J., Solinas, A., Kim, K., Rawlinson, W., Eden, J., Bingham, J., Rodriguez, M., Howard-Jones, A., et al (2023). Fatal Human Neurologic Infection Caused by Pigeon Avian Paramyxovirus-1, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(12), 2482-2487. [More Information]
- Maamary, J., Maddocks, S., Barnett, Y., Wong, S., Rodriguez, M., Hueston, L., Jeoffreys, N., Eden, J., Dwyer, D., Floyd, T., et al (2023). New Detection of Locally Acquired Japanese Encephalitis Virus Using Clinical Metagenomics, New South Wales, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(3), 627-630. [More Information]
2022
- Horsburgh, B., Hiener, B., Fisher, K., Lee, E., Morgan, H., Eden, J., von Stockenstrom, S., Odevall, L., Milush, J., Hoh, R., Schlub, T., Palmer, S., et al (2022). Cellular Activation, Differentiation, and Proliferation Influence the Dynamics of Genetically Intact Proviruses over Time. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 225(7), 1168-1178. [More Information]
- Pham, D., Howard-Jones, A., Hueston, L., Jeoffreys, N., Doggett, S., Rockett, R., Eden, J., Sintchenko, V., Chen, S., O'Sullivan, M., Dwyer, D., et al (2022). Emergence of Japanese encephalitis in Australia: a diagnostic perspective. Pathology, 54(6), 669-677. [More Information]
- Howard-Jones, A., Pham, D., Jeoffreys, N., Eden, J., Hueston, L., Kesson, A., Nagendra, V., Samarasekara, H., Newton, P., Chen, S., O'Sullivan, M., Dwyer, D., Kok, J., et al (2022). Emerging Genotype IV Japanese Encephalitis Virus Outbreak in New South Wales, Australia. Viruses, 14(9). [More Information]
2021
- Tulloch, R., Kok, J., Carter, I., Dwyer, D., Eden, J. (2021). An amplicon-based approach for the whole-genome sequencing of human metapneumovirus. Viruses, 13(3), 499-1-499-11. [More Information]
- Eden, J. (2021). Genome sequencing and its use in public health responses to COVID-19. Microbiology Australia, 42(1), 44-46. [More Information]
- Agius, J., Phalen, D., Rose, K., Eden, J. (2021). Genomic Insights Into the Pathogenicity of a Novel Biofilm-Forming Enterococcus sp. Bacteria (Enterococcus lacertideformus) Identified in Reptiles. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 635208. [More Information]
2020
- Ortiz-Baez, A., Eden, J., Moritz, C., Holmes, E. (2020). A Divergent Articulavirus in an Australian Gecko Identified Using Meta-Transcriptomics and Protein Structure Comparisons. Viruses, 12(6), 613. [More Information]
- Eden, J., Rockett, R., Carter, I., Rahman, H., de Ligt, J., Hadfield, J., Storey, M., Ren, X., Tulloch, R., Basile, K., Sintchenko, V., Chen, S., Sorrell, T., Holmes, E., Dwyer, D., et al (2020). An emergent clade of SARS-CoV-2 linked to returned travellers from Iran. Virus Evolution, 6(1), veaa027. [More Information]
- Bull, R., Adikari, T., Ferguson, J., Hammond, J., Stevanovski, I., Beukers, A., Naing, Z., Yeang, M., Verich, A., Gamaarachchi, H., Eden, J., Van Hal, S., et al (2020). Analytical validity of nanopore sequencing for rapid SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis. Nature Communications, 11(1), 1-8. [More Information]
2019
- Phalen, D., Agius, J., Vaz, F., Eden, J., Setyo, L., Donahoe, S. (2019). A survey of a mixed species aviary provides new insights into the pathogenicity, diversity, evolution, host range, and distribution of psittacine and passerine adenoviruses. Avian pathology, 48(5), 437-443. [More Information]
- Porter, A., Shi, M., Eden, J., Zhang, Y., Holmes, E. (2019). Diversity and Evolution of Novel Invertebrate DNA Viruses Revealed by Meta-Transcriptomics. Viruses, 11, 1-21. [More Information]
- Harvey, E., Rose, K., Eden, J., Lo, N., Abeyasuriya, T., Shi, M., Doggett, S., Holmes, E. (2019). Extensive Diversity of RNA Viruses in Australian Ticks. Journal of Virology, 93(3), 1-15. [More Information]
2018
- Cobbin, J., Britton, P., Burrell, R., Thosar, D., Selvakumar, K., Eden, J., Jones, C., Holmes, E. (2018). A complex mosaic of enteroviruses shapes community-acquired hand, foot and mouth disease transmission and evolution within a single hospital. Virus Evolution, 4(2), 1-11. [More Information]
- Wille, M., Netter, H., Littlejohn, M., Yuen, L., Shi, M., Eden, J., Klaassen, M., Holmes, E., Hurt, A. (2018). A Divergent Hepatitis D-Like Agent in Birds. Viruses, 10(12), 1-9. [More Information]
- Hiener, B., Eden, J., Horsburgh, B., Palmer, S. (2018). Amplification of Near Full-length HIV-1 Proviruses for Next-Generation Sequencing. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 140, 1-12. [More Information]
2017
- Rose, K., Agius, J., Hall, J., Thompson, P., Eden, J., Srivastava, M., Tiernan, B., Jenkins, C., Phalen, D. (2017). Emergent multisystemic Enterococcus infection threatens endangered Christmas Island reptile populations. PloS One, 12(7), 1-21. [More Information]
- Eden, J., Rose, K., Ng, J., Shi, M., Wang, Q., Sintchenko, V., Holmes, E. (2017). Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica in Ringtail Possums, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 23(7), 1198-1201. [More Information]
- Kerr, P., Cattadori, I., Rogers, M., Fitch, A., Geber, A., Liu, J., Sim, D., Boag, B., Eden, J., Ghedin, E., Holmes, E., et al (2017). Genomic and phenotypic characterization of myxoma virus from Great Britain reveals multiple evolutionary pathways distinct from those in Australia. PLoS Pathogens, 13(3), e1006252. [More Information]
2016
- Lim, K., Hewitt, J., Sitabkhan, A., Eden, J., Lun, J., Levy, A., Merif, J., Smith, D., Rawlinson, W., White, P. (2016). A Multi-Site Study of Norovirus Molecular Epidemiology in Australia and New Zealand, 2013-2014. PloS One, 11(4), 1-19. [More Information]
- Mahar, J., Nicholson, L., Eden, J., Duchene, S., Kerr, P., Duckworth, J., Ward, V., Holmes, E., Strive, T. (2016). Benign Rabbit Caliciviruses Exhibit Evolutionary Dynamics Similar to Those of Their Virulent Relatives. Journal of Virology, 90(20), 9317-9329. [More Information]
- Duchene, S., Duchene, D., Di Giallonardo, F., Eden, J., Geoghegan, J., Holt, K., Ho, S., Holmes, E. (2016). Cross-validation to select Bayesian hierarchical models in phylogenetics. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16(1), 1-8. [More Information]
2015
- Eden, J., Kovaliski, J., Duckworth, J., Swain, G., Maher, J., Strive, T., Holmes, E. (2015). Comparative phylodynamics of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus in Australia and New Zealand. Journal of Virology, 89(18), 9548-9558. [More Information]
- Alhammad, Y., Maharajh, S., Butcher, R., Eden, J., White, P., Poumbourios, P., Drummer, H. (2015). Longitudinal sequence and functional evolution within glycoprotein E2 in hepatitis C virus genotype 3a infection. PloS One, 10(5), 1-19. [More Information]
- Eden, J., Read, A., Duckworth, J., Strive, T., Holmes, E. (2015). Resolving the Origin of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus: Insights from an Investigation of the Viral Stocks Released in Australia. Journal of Virology, 89(23), 12217-12220. [More Information]
2014
- Eltahla, A., Lim, K., Eden, J., Kelly, A., Mackenzie, J., White, P. (2014). Nonnucleoside Inhibitors of Norovirus RNA Polymerase: Scaffolds for Rational Drug Design. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 58(6), 3115-3123. [More Information]
- Eden, J., Hewitt, J., Lim, K., Boni, M., Merif, J., Greening, G., Ratcliff, R., Holmes, E., Tanaka, M., Rawlinson, W., et al (2014). The emergence and evolution of the novel epidemic norovirus GII.4 variant Sydney 2012. Virology, 450-451, 106-113. [More Information]
2013
- Eltahla, A., Lackovic, K., Marquis, C., Eden, J., White, P. (2013). A fluorescence-based high-throughput screen to identify small compound inhibitors of the genotype 3a hepatitis c virus RNA polymerase. Journal of Biomolecular Screening, 18(9), 1027-1034. [More Information]
- Cui, J., Eden, J., Holmes, E., Wang, L. (2013). Adaptive evolution of bat dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4): Implications for the origin and emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. Virology Journal, 10, 1-5. [More Information]
- van Beek, J., Ambert-Balay, K., Botteldoorn, N., Eden, J., Fonager, J., Hewitt, J., Iritani, N., Kroneman, A., Vennema, H., Vinjé, J., et al (2013). Indications for worldwide increased norovirus activity associated with emergence of a new variant of Genotype II.4, LATE 2012. Eurosurveillance, 18(1).
2012
- Eden, J., Lim, K., White, P. (2012). Complete genome of the human norovirus GIV.1 strain Lake Macquarie virus. Journal of Virology, 86(18), 10251-10252. [More Information]
- Eden, J., Lim, K., Ballouk, R., Rawlinson, W., Tanaka, M., White, P. (2012). Complex patterns of evolution led to the emergence of the current norovirus pandemic GII.4 variant, termed New Orleans 2010. 2012 Asia-Pacific Congress of Medical Virology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
- Bull, R., Eden, J., Luciani, F., McElroy, K., Rawlinson, W., White, P. (2012). Contribution of intra- and interhost dynamics to norovirus evolution. Journal of Virology, 86(6), 3219-3229. [More Information]
2011
- Eden, J., Bull, R., White, P. (2011). Evidence of intra-genotype recombination in the evolution of a novel norovirus GII.4 variant associated with outbreaks in NSW, Australia during 2009. Australian Microbiology Society Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Eden, J., Sharpe, L., White, P., Brown, A. (2011). Norovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is phosphorylated by an important survival kinase, Akt. Journal of Virology, 85(20), 10894-10898. [More Information]
2010
- Eden, J., Bull, R., White, P. (2010). Evolution of a novel GII.4 associated with outbreaks of gastroenteritis in NSW, Australia during 2009. International Calicivirus Conference.
- Eden, J., Bull, R., Tu, E., McIver, C., Lyon, M., Marshall, J., Smith, D., Musto, J., Rawlinson, W., White, P. (2010). Norovirus GII.4 variant 2006b caused epidemics of acute gastroenteritis in Australia during 2007 and 2008. Journal Of Clinical Virology, 49(4), 265-271. [More Information]
- Bull, R., Eden, J., Rawlinson, W., White, P. (2010). Rapid evolution of pandemic noroviruses of the GII.4 lineage. PLoS Pathogens, 6(3), e1000831. [More Information]
2009
- Eden, J., Bull, R., Tu, E., Lim, H., McIver, C., Lyon, M., Marshall, J., Smith, D., Musto, J., Rawlinson, W., et al (2009). Norovirus GII.4 variant, 2006b, continues to cause gastroenteritis epidemics across Australia in 2007 and 2008. Australian Virology Group Meeting.
Selected Grants
2025
- Enhanced Viral Surveillance: A Capture Sequencing Panel for Emerging Bat Viruses, Peel A, Eden J, Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases (Sydney ID)/Sydney ID Seed Grants
- Unlocking Viral Persistence - Investigating Feral Pigs as Sentinels for Japanese Encephalitis Virus and Other Emerging Pathogens, Jenns K, Eden J, Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases (Sydney ID)/Sydney ID Seed Grants
2022
- Building active surveillance systems to track hepatitis C virusepidemiology and antiviral resistance, Douglas M, Kok J, Eden J, Tu T, Cunningham A, George J, Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research (ACH2)/Research Support