Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

High throughput sequencing has revolutionized many areas of biology, including the ability to obtain genomic information from single individuals to whole populations and including the ability to obtain DNA sequence information from environmental samples. Rapid improvement of sequencing equipment in the last few years has led to a decentralization of resources from large specialized centers to laboratories in individual university departments. Here we propose to acquire a DNA sonicator and liquid handler needed to streamline the preparatory steps leading to library construction prior to loading on an Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencer which is already available in the Department of Biology at Dalhousie University. The acquisition of this equipment will allow us to achieve high quality sequencing and efficient campus-wide use of the available sequencing equipment. The application supports a recent university-wide microbiomics initiative that strives to establish high standards for microbial community sequencing and data processing. The requested equipment to support the Biology Illumina sequencer (MiSeq) will be multi-purpose and serve all faculty members and their HQP who are planning to utilize high throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) in their research. The acquisition of the equipment will increase productivity by eliminating long wait periods characteristic of large centralized sequencing centers or companies. It will help ensure the quality of the data through the planned microbiomic initiative, which will establish stringent criteria for the quality control of sequence data. In addition, it will contribute to large scale projects examining the population genomics of marine and freshwater organisms. Making all of the required tools for NGS library preparation and sequencing available in the Department of Biology will enable comprehensive training of HQP in all aspects of NGS data generation.