Sequencing the wild: unlocking animal and marine metagenomes with Oxford Nanopore
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Environmental DNA (eDNA) and metagenomics are transforming how we study biodiversity, revealing hidden animal and marine communities, without the need for direct observation.
Join us to hear from Kobun Truelove and Ariel Rabines, who are applying Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology in the field, to unlock new insights into marine biology and animal metagenomics. They will share real-world case studies, from eDNA collection in diverse environments, to generating biodiversity and genomic data. An Oxford Nanopore expert will also provide an overview of the platform, highlighting how portable, real-time sequencing is making it easier than ever to track species, explore ecosystems, and drive conservation research.
In this webinar, you will learn:
- Best practices for eDNA collection in diverse ecosystems and optimising workflows
- How nanopore sequencing powers real-time species detection, population genetics, and ecosystem monitoring
- Why portable, easy-to-use nanopore devices are transforming eDNA and metagenomics research in the lab and the field
Register your details below to join us online on November 13 at 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET
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Meet the speakers
Advancements in environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing are revolutionizing marine biodiversity monitoring by enabling rapid, non-invasive detection of organisms from trace genetic material naturally shed into seawater. Performing eDNA sequencing at-sea aboard research vessels greatly reduces the time required for data acquisition, capturing ecological signals that would otherwise take weeks to months to resolve using traditional methods dependent on shore-based sequencing facilities. Recent developments in automated eDNA sampling systems, combined with onboard DNA extraction and sequencing technologies, now make it possible to complete the entire eDNA workflow, from sample collection and library preparation to sequencing and taxonomic analysis, in under four hours. This sequencing-at-sea capability enables rapid detection of rare, elusive, and migratory species, as well as commercially important, protected, and invasive species. By streamlining the process from sample acquisition to taxonomic assignment, this approach provides rapid biodiversity insights that can inform adaptive management, conservation strategies, and ecosystem-based monitoring. The integration of sample processing automation and rapid sequencing-at-sea represents a transformative advance toward continuous, high-resolution observation of ocean life.
Advancements in environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing are revolutionizing marine biodiversity monitoring by enabling rapid, non-invasive detection of organisms from trace genetic material naturally shed into seawater. Performing eDNA sequencing at-sea aboard research vessels greatly reduces the time required for data acquisition, capturing ecological signals that would otherwise take weeks to months to resolve using traditional methods dependent on shore-based sequencing facilities. Recent developments in automated eDNA sampling systems, combined with onboard DNA extraction and sequencing technologies, now make it possible to complete the entire eDNA workflow, from sample collection and library preparation to sequencing and taxonomic analysis, in under four hours. This sequencing-at-sea capability enables rapid detection of rare, elusive, and migratory species, as well as commercially important, protected, and invasive species. By streamlining the process from sample acquisition to taxonomic assignment, this approach provides rapid biodiversity insights that can inform adaptive management, conservation strategies, and ecosystem-based monitoring. The integration of sample processing automation and rapid sequencing-at-sea represents a transformative advance toward continuous, high-resolution observation of ocean life.
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Koburn Truelove, Research Specialist, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research InstitutePhytoplankton drive over half of Earth’s oxygen production and form the base of marine food webs. In the Southern Ocean, these microorganisms contribute about 25% of global primary production but remain difficult to study due to the region’s remoteness and sampling constraints. The Genomics at Sea Program (GASP) addresses these challenges through ship-based, near-real-time sequencing aboard Viking Expedition vessels along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Using the Oxford Nanopore Mk1B platform, GASP performs full-length 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing directly at sea, enabling immediate insight into community composition and diversity.
Developed through a unique collaboration between Viking Expeditions and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, GASP builds on methods established in the Algal Productivity and Exceeding Expectations (APEX) project, where Oxford Nanopore sequencing was first used for microbiome monitoring at a commercial algae farm. By adapting those approaches for polar research, GASP demonstrates how portable sequencing supports rapid, field-based genomics and adaptive sampling strategies, allowing researchers to refine hypotheses and adjust collection efforts in response to live data. Current studies investigate how nutrient inputs from penguin colonies influence phytoplankton diversity along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, advancing our understanding of ecosystem dynamics in one of Earth’s most rapidly changing regions.
Phytoplankton drive over half of Earth’s oxygen production and form the base of marine food webs. In the Southern Ocean, these microorganisms contribute about 25% of global primary production but remain difficult to study due to the region’s remoteness and sampling constraints. The Genomics at Sea Program (GASP) addresses these challenges through ship-based, near-real-time sequencing aboard Viking Expedition vessels along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Using the Oxford Nanopore Mk1B platform, GASP performs full-length 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing directly at sea, enabling immediate insight into community composition and diversity.
Developed through a unique collaboration between Viking Expeditions and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, GASP builds on methods established in the Algal Productivity and Exceeding Expectations (APEX) project, where Oxford Nanopore sequencing was first used for microbiome monitoring at a commercial algae farm. By adapting those approaches for polar research, GASP demonstrates how portable sequencing supports rapid, field-based genomics and adaptive sampling strategies, allowing researchers to refine hypotheses and adjust collection efforts in response to live data. Current studies investigate how nutrient inputs from penguin colonies influence phytoplankton diversity along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, advancing our understanding of ecosystem dynamics in one of Earth’s most rapidly changing regions.
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Ariel Rabines, University of California San DiegoCandace Wiliams, Technical Services Manager, Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Candace Williams is a Technical Services Manager at Oxford Nanopore Technologies, where she leads the Western United States Field Applications Team. She earned her PhD in Molecular Biology from Mississippi State University, using next-generation sequencing and analytical chemistry to study interactions between the gut microbiome and dietary shifts, in both giant and red pandas. Prior to joining Oxford Nanopore, she led microbiome projects at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance where her work focused on how microbiota play key roles in managing healthy species in both captivity and the wild. She also developed microbial-based treatments and methods to sequence samples anywhere, while training the next generation of conservation-focused microbiome scientists.
