Library Prep

Get Prepped: Nanopore Library Preparation Optimization

Nanopore is a relatively new sequencing platform and researchers are still trying to optimize the protocol for their own specific applications. In our lab, we work primarily with metagenomic samples and use the 1D sequencing kits. Over the past year, we have optimized this technique. To check the quality of the Nanopore library preparation we…

whole genome sequencing

The Good, the Bad and the Expensive of Whole Genome Sequencing

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is still very cutting edge, sequencing technology and while there are a lot of perks to using it, there are also a few drawbacks. The good, the bad and the pricey are outlined below to help you navigate when it’s worth using WGS! Whole Genome Sequencing: The Good Lots of Data…

nanopore sequencing

An Introduction to Nanopore Sequencing

DNA sequencing is the most powerful method to reveal genetic variations at the molecular level, leading to a better understanding of our body in physiological settings, and pathological conditions. It is the beginning of the long road towards better diagnostics and personalized medicine. Even though there have been great advances in DNA sequencing technologies there…

deep sequencing

Demystifying NGS: Depth Coverage and Deep Sequencing

NGS is not a three-headed monster. However, it can be a difficult concept to grasp—especially when you are getting started.  There is a lot of new terminology, and a whole new world to discover: both in the lab bench and in interpreting your results. It helps to start somewhere. So, let’s start! Depth of Coverage…

Linux

Introduction to Linux for High-Throughput Sequencing Analysis

So, you’ve spent time planning your high-throughput sequencing experiment. You’ve chosen how many replicates to use, deliberated about sequencing depth, and kept everything RNase-free. Now you have many gigabytes of data available. What’s next? While the first step of RNA-Seq analysis is aligning your sequencing reads to a reference genome, first you need to get…

shotgun sequencing

An Introduction to Shotgun Sequencing: Fire in the Hole

In the midst of all the cool new sequencing techniques and technologies out there today, you may have overlooked the tried and true method of Shotgun Sequencing. What is Shotgun Sequencing Anyway? Shotgun sequencing gets its name from the concept that a large sequence is essentially broken up in to many, many smaller pieces, similar…

Breaking Down the Assembly of Nucleic Acid Sequences

Breaking Down the Assembly of Nucleic Acid Sequences

Microbiome—a term that has become a hot topic in recent years—has scientists of all disciplines wanting to know more. Microbes are everywhere. On any type of surface you can think of. Our physical make up, by number, consists of 10 bacterial cells to every one of our own. What’s more, approximately 99% of microbes cannot…

GeneDig: An Easy-to-use Genome Browser for Bioscientists

GeneDig: An Easy-to-use Genome Browser for Bioscientists

The recent advancement of next generation sequencing technology and the development of novel gene editing tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have revolutionized research in genetics. In this golden era of molecular biology, knowing how to dig and navigate through all the enormous sequence information is an essential skill for most molecular biologists. However, to obtain facile…