Metagenomic exploration of Andean mountain microbiomes: who is there and why we care
Maria Mercedes Zambrano, Corpogen Research Center, Colombia
| When |
07 May, 2013
from
12:30 pm to 01:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where | Auditorium |
| Add event to your calendar |
iCal
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Seminar
Title: Metagenomic exploration of Andean mountain microbiomes: who is there and why we care
Speaker: Maria Mercedes Zambrano
Affiliation: Scientific Director, Corpogen Research Center, Bogotá, Colombia
Host: Karina Xavier
Abstract:
During the past four years the Colombian Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics (Gebix) has explored microbial communities present in some of the high-mountain Andean ecosystems present in Colombia. The Nevados National Park, nestled in the Central Andean range and part of a volcanic belt with geothermal activity, has been the focus of our explorations due to its varied and in some cases extreme ecosystems which include arid terrains and hot springs. The talk will summarize some of the work carried out, from metagenomic analysis of microbial communities to more focused strategies aimed at bioprospecting for products of biotechnological potential. This work has provided novel information about some of these microbiomes and of enzymes and metabolic networks relevant for ecosystem sustenance and future applications.
