DNA Sequencing
Using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) DNA in samples is PCR-amplified and sequenced using the latest sequencing and bioinformatic techniques. The sequences are compared to proprietary and public databases to generate a report on the relative abundances of species in your sample. Quantitative PCR is used in applications requiring determination of absolute abundance of individual taxa.
Pollen sequencing
The pollen of plants contains chloroplast DNA that can be sequenced. We are able to quantify the assemblages of pollen in air samples, dust, honey, or sediments of up to a few thousand years old.
Diet Reconstruction
We can quantitatively reconstruct the diet of herbivores, omnivores, and certain carnivores. We can reconstruct what plants, phytoplankton, fungi, invertebrates, or vertebrates animals have eaten, and are rapidly expanding our capabilities to other organisms.
Microbial Assemblages
From bacteria to fungi to archaea in anything from soils to dust to water, we can quantify the relative abundance of microbial assemblages. Past work has included quantifying disease in plant production systems, quantifying mold taxa in homes, and bacterial assemblages in and on animals.
Aquatic Environmental DNA
The abundances of organisms in water can be expensive and time-consuming to quantify. Using NGS and qPCR, we can quantify the relative and absolute abundance of taxa ranging from microbes to phytoplankton to fish in water.
Clients
We provide services to over a hundred academic researchers, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, commercial enterprises, and hospitals. Our application scientists are available to consult on individual projects, tailor sampling and analysis protocols, and help develop new techniques. Contact us to discuss your projects.
