Clarkson IB&B Ph.D student Austin Marshall
will present
“Exploring the scope of nanopore sequencing for environmental microbiome research.”
Thursday, December 14, 2023Snell Hall, room 214, 1-3
Microbial communities in the environment are known to have vast implications for public health, agriculture, and ecosystem management but the conventional tools used to assess microbiomes are limited in their abilities. While sequencing techniques have transformed this area, challenges persist in capturing the detailed dynamics of microbial communities over time and space in a particular environment. To address this gap, my dissertation work explores the potential of nanopore sequencing, an innovative technology offering long-read capabilities, portability, and affordability, making it suitable for practical applications. I investigated the use of nanopore sequencing for microbial abundance studies through16S analysis, and subsequent metagenomic sequencing for in-depth analysis of antimicrobial resistance, horizontal gene transfer, and construction of Metagenome-Assembled Genomes (MAGs). The performance of the sequencing platform was tested with samples from a wide variety of environments including air, river water, and International Space Station dust, demonstrating the technology’s adaptability and utility for a comprehensive understanding of microbial ecosystems.
My work shows the potential of nanopore sequencing as a powerful tool with transformative potential, capable of providing rich, high-resolution insights into microbial worlds. Furthermore, the research findings enhance our current understanding of microbial dynamics, expand upon the possibilities for practical applications in fields ranging from public health to agriculture, and thus, serve as a step forward, addressing critical gaps in environmental microbiome research.
Microsoft Teams link
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup- join/19%3ameeting_NGNjM2FjZTEtNDA3NC00MGU1LTk4ZjgtMGMxOTVjYWQ1NDY5%40thread.v2/0?co ntext=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225f7c2cac-d9be-43e3-a28d- 005b8fbb20fa%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223947990f-2367-4b30-8e90-c066b96bc489%22%7d
