Microbiome Research Resources

drawing including DNA, microbe, and a microscope

The One Health Microbiome Center offers a wealth of resources to our community members. From cutting-edge equipment and high-quality reagents to expert knowledge and consultation, we are dedicated to empowering microbiome researchers. Explore our toolbox and learn how the Center can enhance your research today.

1. Portable Microscope

microscope

This portable microscope is primarily used for outreach and educational events, but can also be reserved for research. The microscope was purchased in 2023 as a shared resource after being proposed by the graduate student organization Macrobes for Microbes.

Featured Equipment

  • Echo Rebel Microscope (2-in-1, converts between upright and inverted modes)
    • 12.9 inches iPad Pro with Retina display (264 ppi)
    • External screen connectivity
  • Portable hard case (Pelican air case with wheels)

Contact for Training & Reservations

Roger Ort, Macrobes for Microbes President and Geosciences PhD Candidate

Email: rco5102@psu.edu


2. Research Collaboratory

The One Health Microbiome Center's Research Collaboratory was created in partnership with QIAGEN in January 2024 to optimize and standardize microbiome sample extraction and sequencing library preparation.

Featured Equipment, Tools, & Reagents

  • Illumina unique dual indexes
  • QIAquant 384 5plex
  • QIAcube HT
  • TissueLyser III
  • 96 channel Micropipette
  • QIAcube HT compatible DNA/RNA kits (limited)
  • iSeq 100
  • Tapestation 4200

Contact for Training & Reservations

Dr. Jordan Bisanz, Assistant Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Email: jordan.bisanz@psu.edu


3. Computational Resources

3.1 OHMC Paid Allocation on ROAR Collab

The One Health Microbiome Center is pleased to offer members free access to the Center's paid allocation on ROAR Collab High Performance Computing Cluster. This allocation allows members to run computationally intensive jobs, that exceed the 48 hour limit of the ROAR Collab "open queue", for free.

You can request a free ROAR Collab account on the ICDS website. You must have an account before you can be added to the OHMC paid allocation.

Featured Computational Resource

  • Standard Memory Compute of 120 cores (8-10 GB/core, Infiniband; 48 cores/node and 384-512 GB RAM/node).
  • This is approximately 1 TB of RAM.

Contact

Dr. Nichole Ginnan, Research Project Manager, One Health Microbiome Center

Email: nginnan@psu.edu or microbiomecenter@psu.edu

3.2 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Database

The One Health Microbiome Center offers members free access to the KEGG database, a large repository for genomic and metabolic data. This can be accessed at https://kegg.psu.edu.


4. Grant Studio Review

Enhance your grant proposals with the One Health Microbiome Center's "Grant Studio Review" program. Center members can submit their draft proposals for a comprehensive evaluation by our expert faculty team. Similar to a red team review, our process includes detailed written feedback and comments, followed by an in-depth, in-person meeting to discuss and refine your proposal. Elevate your chances of success with our tailored, expert-driven insights and collaborative support.

Featured Support

  • Written comments and feedback on your proposal
  • In-person feedback and discussion

Contact

Dr. Nichole Ginnan, Research Project Manager, One Health Microbiome Center

Email: nginnan@psu.edu


    5. Expert Consultation

    From experimental design advice to microbiome data analysis pipelines the One Health Microbiome Center is a one-stop shop for microbiome research expertise.

    Featured Consult Services

    • Experimental design and determining appropriate controls
    • Sample collection and storage for downstream microbiome analyses
    • Selecting the appropriate sequencing platform (also see Genomics Core Facility)
    • Sequence data processing
    • Microbiome data analyses and visualization

    Contact

    Dr. Nichole Ginnan, Research Project Manager, One Health Microbiome Center

    Email: nginnan@psu.edu