Validation and standardization of DNA extraction and library construction methods for metagenomics-based human fecal microbiome measurements

In the last decade, research into human microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics has accelerated the widespread availability of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies that comprehensively profile complex microbiota through metagenomic approaches. However, measurements generated by different laboratories often display large variability due to protocoldependent biases introduced at each step in the workflow. Driven by the needs identified by the industry-led Japan Microbiome Consortium (JMBC), we aimed to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for metagenomics-based microbiome profiling of human fecal samples. Join this webinar to hear about the steps that help set SOPs for human fecal microbial profiling:

The first phase of this study systematically compared a myriad of protocols for DNA extraction and library construction using newly-developed mock communities.
In the second phase, reproducibility and transferability of highly performant protocols were assessed in an industry-based interlaboratory study and as part of the MOSAIC Standards Challenge study. The widespread uptake of our SOPs, which include the QIAseq FX DNA Library Kit for library construction and best-practice guidelines, is expected to increase the accuracy of NGS-based metagenome profiling results across the microbiome field

About the speaker

Dieter M. Tourlousse, PhD, Senior Scientist

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan

Dr. Dieter Tourlousse is a senior scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology (AIST) in Tsukuba, Japan. As a member of the Biomedical Research Institute, he develops and applies state-of-the-art tools for identifying complex microbial communities, with a focus on next-generation DNA sequencing and the human microbiome. Specifically, Dr. Tourlousse’s work aims to improve the quality and comparability of NGS-based metagenomic analyses through standardization of methods and advancement of control reagents such as synthetic DNA standards.Most recently, he and his collaborators of the industry-led Japan Microbiome Consortium (JMBC) established a set of standard operating procedures and best-practice guidelines for human fecal microbiome measurements.