Hands-on Workshop: Metagenomics and Microbial Sequencing for Diagnostics

September 12, 2022

Organized in collaboration with

  • Veronica Roman-Reyna, Ohio State University, US
  • Jonathan Jacobs, Ohio State University, US
  • Boris Vinatzer, Virginia Tech, US
  • Gwyn Beattie, Iowa State University, US
  • Kellye Eversole, Phytobiomes Alliance

Time

13:30-16:30

Fee

$50 when purchased independently, $40 when purchased in conjunction with the Conference registration

Location

Denver, CO, USA

Outline

Next-generation sequencing technologies for genomics and metagenomics has expanded our ability to precisely identify and document plant pathogens from complex environmental samples. These genomic tools allow us to digitally document causal agents of plant disease and potentially reveal new emerging threats to agriculture. Metagenomics also provides a novel way to provide context to the target sample by additionally capturing the host genome and microbiome. This rapidly advancing field however poses challenges for pathogen classification and defining acceptable thresholds for plant disease identification.

We will discuss how genomics and metagenomics improve and accelerate plant disease diagnostics in this workshop. We will cover the current short- and long-read sequencing technologies and then explain available tools for performing sequencing for diagnostics. Finally, we will show applied examples of how we use genomics, including whole genome sequence- based methods, to strengthen pathogen classification and thus accurate identification.

We will end the workshop with an open discussion on unanswered questions related to genomics for diagnostics, including:

  • What are the limits of detection in metagenomics for diagnostics?
  • Does this differ between quarantine organisms vs. endemic problems?
  • Are our thresholds the same for metagenomics for microbial ecology compared to disease diagnostics?
  • What is the minimum amount of detection to consider it will cause the disease?
  • How can we use metagenomics to look for pathogen reservoirs?