Dr Emma Hodcroft

In 2025, GISAID cut off access to many critical SARS-CoV-2 resources, incl. our outbreak.info.

A month ago, GISAID leveled accusations against us, Cov-Spectrum, Nextstrain, and members of COG-UK, which are false and misrepresent known facts.

Our joint response:

blog.outbreak.info/joint-respon...

A "lantern" from Basel Fasnacht (carnival) celebrations, showing an upside down white abstract dove holding a neon green leaf in its beak

From Basel #Fastnacht 2026

Looking forward to the #SocialMediaCafe for researchers tomorrow tue, 25.2.2026, 12.15-13h with guest @firefoxx66.bsky.social. We will talk about the use of social media for researchers and focus on Bluesky. The cafe is open to all ZHAW-researchers. Check the intranet: intra.zhaw.ch/departemente...

I would have given you exactly that advice (stock up on essential medicines) at the end of Feb!

It's hard to recreate that mindset now, because know we *know* - we've *seen* a world brought to a halt. But this was incomprehensible then. How do you just - stop everything?

What situation would we not believe today? Or are we more likely to believe overall?

Will I ever have that feeing again?

I continued to help plan events that I knew would not happen. Because it turns out you can't just announce the world is on the brink of a huge change: it's beyond belief. Even when asked directly, my answers were too incomprehensible.
Some things can't be told, only seen.

By this point in February & after, the world felt totally surreal: life was mostly proceeding as normal, but those of us working on the virus knew it was all about to come crashing down - though we didn't know exactly how. It felt like leading two lives - like being a little bit crazy.

A screenshot of a FB memories post from 6 years ago today, 23 Feb 2020. Emma Hodcroft posts: "So yea. This is it. This is the post. SARS-CoV-2 is extremely likely to become (if not already) pandemic. What's most important right now is getting a handle on how quickly it is spreading and where. This means increasing testing and trying to slow the spread to buy time."

Every year I get to 're-live' the pandemic thanks to FB memories. Re-examining my posts with increasing time is always interesting.

This one though - this one never fails to send a shiver down my spine. When do make a post like this? When are you sure enough? What if you regret it?

Winterreden 2026 Karl*a gehört Zürich! Karl der Grosse dient als Plattform für den Meinungsaustausch und ist ein soziokultureller Treffpunkt.

Yes - it was! You can listen to myself, and all the other speakers, here: www.karldergrosse.ch/programm/kat...
😁

Emma Hodcroft presenting Pathoplexus at the LS2 Annual Meeting

Invited speaker Emma Hodcroft @firefoxx66.bsky.social presenting Pathoplexus and the readyness to respond in the @lifesciswitzerland.bsky.social #LS2AM symposium of the @sib.swiss Bioinformatics Section.

Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”

Just a reminder - if you're in Zurich tonight and interested in open data sharing, come hear me speak at 18.00! (Only 20 minutes, in English!)

In Zurich on Monday evening? Want to hear about #opendata & data sharing, and how critical it is for preparing for and responding to infectious diseases? 🔓🧬

Come hear me speak at Karl de Grosse Debattierhaus Winterreden! 🪟💬

👉🏻 19 Jan, 18.00, 20 mins, English

www.karldergrosse.ch/programm/ver...

In Zurich on Monday evening? Want to hear about #opendata & data sharing, and how critical it is for preparing for and responding to infectious diseases? 🔓🧬

Come hear me speak at Karl de Grosse Debattierhaus Winterreden! 🪟💬

👉🏻 19 Jan, 18.00, 20 mins, English

www.karldergrosse.ch/programm/ver...

Yes, in a situation (in their own opinion) so serious, it's critical to come up with reasons why you ignored emails trying to inform you about changes to data availability - and not immediately seek clarity with the person who did sign the contract.

Agree - the premise that GISAID started with was a game-changer, and much needed: not everyone's comfortable sharing without any restrictions. But we can - and should -create other solutions that offer protections. Ones led by the community, with clear, transparent governance.

Sigh. For the hundredth time, we are not judging his character, we are judging his actions. The RS position would be fine if it was a gentlemen's club, who can have who it damn well pleases. But it positions itself as represnting British science and scientists. Now an embarrassment, to be frank.

Good question! I think easy to follow instructions and tutorials would be good - Pathoplexus has some, but they could be improved. Easier interfaces are important too (esp for INSDC).
I think awareness is important too - knowing there are other options & one can even upload to two!

And look I'm sorry - but saying that maintaining COVID dashboards is focusing on unimportant things - is nothing less than purposefully missing the point.
Any scientist worth their salt knows we don't just stop monitoring viruses because they stop being pandemic.

The fear that *still exists* of GISAID is VERY REAL. Even today, respected, serious long-time scientists are scared to do anything that may be viewed as 'unloyal' to GISAID, for fear they, their work, and/or their departments are cut off.

Does that sound like how science should work? Not to me.

This needs boosting.
How we share data now, determines how prepared we are for tomorrow. That includes having access to *all* who need it (inccitizen scientists like @ryanhisner.bsky.social) & being able to use it in dashboards & apps.
Having one place control it all - is dangerous.

#OpenScience

Update:

POV, you need to be out of the rental house by 11am tomorrow, so all hands on deck to finish the Christmas Puzzle!

Wishing you all a joyful and merry Christmas, full of puzzles and loved ones! 🎁🎄☃️

Not even lying, I am taking *one* Christmas card with me on my Christmas travels this year, and this is it! 😂

Best Christmas Card of 2025 award goes out to the @biozentrum.unibas.ch for this incredible building-themed-advent-calendar! Opening a window each day has been fantastic! ❄️☃️😁

Oh my god they found poisson steve

#poissonsteve

A screenshot of the front page of Pathoplexus' website, showing the addition of a tile for Marburg Virus.

1/ 🚀 Pathoplexus now supports Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVN) (sister viruses in the same genus). MARV has two main clades and causes severe disease with reported fatality rates of 24–88%.

You can read more detail about adding Marburg here: pathoplexus.org/news/2025-11...

The change to the CDC website to reflect unscientific, agenda-driven mindsets is deeply upsetting.

But let's not forget there are a lot of excellent scientists still working there. Persisting. Trying to minimise damage.

Let's not stop supporting them - while condemning those in charge!

9/ 🔍 We invite clinicians, surveillance labs & researchers to explore the dataset & share your feedback.

Feedback? Questions? Drop a comment, DM or on GitHub. Like to join us in creating more EV datasets? Please reach out!

Thank you to everyone working on #Enteroviruses!🙏🏼

8/ 🙏🏻With our thanks:

This dataset was created by Nadia Neuner-Jehle, Alejandra Gonzalez Sanchez, & Emma Hodcroft - with help from Nextclade creators Richard Neher @neher.io & Ivan Aksamentov - and the input and advice of the ENPEN community!