Microbiome Core
The Microbiome Shared Resource (MB-SR) is a leading-edge, multidisciplinary microbiome research program dedicated to helping researchers at City of Hope® expand our understanding of microbiome dynamics using high-efficiency, best-in-class standards and state-of-the-art science.
The MB-SR program infrastructure supports a wide array of assays to characterize the microbiome, including services provided by our close colleagues at TGen (the Translational Genomics Research Institute), ranging from genomic, metabolomic and proteomic analyses to multi-omics bioinformatics and data science support.
We also provide on-site services, including culturomics services, and expert guidance in microbiome biospecimen collection, clinical microbiome study design, microbiome-related bioinformatics and microbiome preclinical modeling in vitro and in vivo, in both specific pathogen-free (SPF) and gnotobiotic conditions. Our goals include enabling future interventional studies incorporating microbiome profiling of trial participants, as well as studies of therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome, ranging from fecal microbiota transplantation, bacterial cell therapies produced under good manufacturing processes (GMPs) and microbiome-modulating molecular inhibitors.
Using the Facility
Proposals that include a MB-SR member as a collaborator should have a biosketch and letter of collaboration. For proposals in which the collaborator has a small, defined role, funding for core support may be included, in which case you may wish to contact the collaborator or the director for a letter of support. The following generic statement is provided as a resource:
MB-SR provides a comprehensive biobanking and bioinformatics research pipeline for microbiome studies and supports preclinical and interventional studies of microbiome therapeutics. Its services are available to all City of Hope researchers.
MB-SR performs standard and customized microbiome analyses and uses state-of-the-art sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools. It provides expertise and consulting in study design, sample collection handling and analysis. Areas of expertise include:
- TGen Services: Microbiome genomics (16S, ITS, whole metagenomic shotgun DNA, RNA)
- Microbiome mass spectrometry (metabolomics and proteomics)
- Microbiome multi-omics bioinformatics and data science support (QIIME 2), led by Dr. Gregory Caporaso, Program Manager and PI on the QIIME 2 project
- On-site (Duarte) services
- Culturomics
- Biospecimen collection and biobanking
- Microbiome modulation in preclinical models
- Bioinformatics analysis
- Statistical support
- Publication-ready visualizations and post-analysis consultation on data interpretation and future studies
Current pricing can be found on iLab Solutions.
