This research reconstructs viral transmission trees using genomic sequencing data to study how human behavior shapes infectious disease outbreaks. Analyzing COVID-19 transmission in Iceland revealed differences in infectiousness across quarantined and demographic groups, informing vaccine distribution strategies that improved population-level protection and influenced national public health policy.

This research develops a computational method for detecting hidden RNA viruses within existing RNA sequencing datasets. By identifying conserved viral protein signatures, the approach enables large-scale discovery of previously unknown viruses, improving understanding of viral diversity, disease mechanisms, and future opportunities for diagnostics, surveillance, and antiviral treatment development.