Interdisciplinary Workshop Series Trains Next-Generation Microbiome Engineers
Outcome/Accomplishment
In Fall 2023, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precision Microbiome (NSF PreMiEr) Engineering Research Center (ERC) launched a cross-institutional weekly series of educational workshops for its scholars and faculty as well as students affiliated with NSF PreMiEr faculty lab groups. The series was established through the Center’s Engineering Workforce Development (EWD) foundation to cross-train researchers in microbiology, engineering, and other empirical sciences with theorists, model builders, and computational scientists. NSF PreMiEr is based at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Impact/Benefits
NSF PreMiEr researchers leverage diagnostic tools and interdisciplinary engineering approaches in genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic technologies to better study microbial “dark matter.” This work lies at the intersections of both health and the built environment. Advanced microbiome technologies help prevent infectious agents’ colonization in interior spaces, while also promoting the existence of more beneficial microorganisms. As such, the Center’s techniques lead to breakthroughs in enabling safe indoor spaces for everyone with impacts to the design, construction and operation of man-made structures and buildings.
Explanation/Background
NSF PreMiEr’s Engineering Workforce Development foundation is an outgrowth of an interdisciplinary NSF-funded Research Training Grant for Integrative Bioinformatics for Investigating and Engineering Microbiomes (IBIEM), a partnership between Duke University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T). To better recruit, inspire, and educate a diverse group of scientists in advanced microbiome solutions, PreMiEr designed the ongoing workshop training series to engage scholars at all levels of experience.
Initial topics spanned an introduction to microbiomes and training in sequence processing and analyses. Workshops offered during Spring of 2024 included sessions focused on phylogeny, metagenomics, and amplicon bioinformatic and statistical analysis. While most workshops are available in a hybrid format to allow all campuses to participate, the hands-on lab experiences are offered in collaboration with industry partners at both Duke and NCA&T. For example, industry partner Illumina, a world leader in innovative technologies for the analysis of genetic variation and function, has collaborated to offer “lab in a box” trainings on sequencing pipelines.
Location
Durham, North Carolinawebsite
Start Year
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Outcome/Accomplishment
In Fall 2023, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precision Microbiome (NSF PreMiEr) Engineering Research Center (ERC) launched a cross-institutional weekly series of educational workshops for its scholars and faculty as well as students affiliated with NSF PreMiEr faculty lab groups. The series was established through the Center’s Engineering Workforce Development (EWD) foundation to cross-train researchers in microbiology, engineering, and other empirical sciences with theorists, model builders, and computational scientists. NSF PreMiEr is based at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Location
Durham, North Carolinawebsite
Start Year
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Biotechnology and Healthcare
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Impact/benefits
NSF PreMiEr researchers leverage diagnostic tools and interdisciplinary engineering approaches in genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic technologies to better study microbial “dark matter.” This work lies at the intersections of both health and the built environment. Advanced microbiome technologies help prevent infectious agents’ colonization in interior spaces, while also promoting the existence of more beneficial microorganisms. As such, the Center’s techniques lead to breakthroughs in enabling safe indoor spaces for everyone with impacts to the design, construction and operation of man-made structures and buildings.
Explanation/Background
NSF PreMiEr’s Engineering Workforce Development foundation is an outgrowth of an interdisciplinary NSF-funded Research Training Grant for Integrative Bioinformatics for Investigating and Engineering Microbiomes (IBIEM), a partnership between Duke University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T). To better recruit, inspire, and educate a diverse group of scientists in advanced microbiome solutions, PreMiEr designed the ongoing workshop training series to engage scholars at all levels of experience.
Initial topics spanned an introduction to microbiomes and training in sequence processing and analyses. Workshops offered during Spring of 2024 included sessions focused on phylogeny, metagenomics, and amplicon bioinformatic and statistical analysis. While most workshops are available in a hybrid format to allow all campuses to participate, the hands-on lab experiences are offered in collaboration with industry partners at both Duke and NCA&T. For example, industry partner Illumina, a world leader in innovative technologies for the analysis of genetic variation and function, has collaborated to offer “lab in a box” trainings on sequencing pipelines.