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Microbiome Engineering

Microbiome Engineering

Bioinformatics for Use in Microbiome Engineering in Effort to Protect Amphibian Populations

The importance of individual and population level microbial communities has become apparent in contexts ranging from individual health to long term evolutionary implications.


Researchers in the USD Biology department utilize high-throughput DNA and RNA sequencing technologies on a regular basis to explore and answer many important questions in the biological sciences.

Analysis of this large and complex data often and necessarily utilizes USD's HPC resources.

The dissertation work of Joseph Madison utilizes HPC resources in the study of amphibian microbiome sequencing data.

Results from analysis of this molecular data on HPC resources is proving critical in ameliorating amphibian disease through the development of engineered microbiome-based treatments.

This work takes place in the laboratory of Dr. Jacob Kerby which is broadly interested in disease ecology and ecotoxicology.