Metagenomics is the analysis of total microbial genetic material directly recovered from biological and environmental samples, which enables the analysis of genomes of at least most abundant microbial species without the need to isolate and cultivate individual microbial species.
Nowadays, metagenomic approaches are becoming must-haves in large-scale genomics applications as a way to study the taxonomic and functional composition of microbial communities in environmental, agricultural, and clinical settings. These applications enable assessing biodiversity, gaining insight into interactions between different microbial groups, and identifying novel and related functional genes.
In health sciences, one of the most promising fields of metagenomic investigations is the study of the human microbiome which gives an in-depth understanding of the community of microorganisms and collection of genomes, proteins and metabolites found in the human body as well as the interplay between them.
This SM2GH metagenomics group focuses on:
- Exploring the most recent advances in the field of metagenomics
- Enhancing the understanding of experimental and analytical applications in the field of metagenomics
- Sharing technical skills, analytical tools and metagenomic datasets
- Providing training on applications in the field of metagenomics
