Sequence your food (Metagenomics)!

Sequence Your Food!
An Introduction to Next-Generation Sequencing & Metagenomics

This workshop consists of two sessions:
Friday, July 31, 6:00–9:00 PM: DNA Extraction
Saturday, August 1, 1:00–4:00 PM: NGS Library Preparation

Ever wondered what’s actually living in your kombucha, kimchi, or yogurt? Come find out—at the DNA level.

Join us for a hands-on, very fun deep dive into next-generation sequencing (NGS) and metagenomics. You’ll bring a fermented food (or use one of ours), crack it open at the molecular level, and discover the hidden microbial community inside.

What you’ll do:
Extract DNA from your food
Amplify the 16S rRNA gene (aka the microbial ID card)
Prep your sample for sequencing
Send it off on an Illumina MiSeq sequencer

No experience needed—just curiosity and maybe a favorite ferment.

Bring something funky:
Kombucha, kimchi, yogurt, dhokla, curtido, bagoong—if it’s fermented, it’s fair game.

What you’ll learn:
What metagenomics actually means (and why it’s cool)
How scientists study microbes without culturing them
The basics of DNA extraction, PCR, DNA library prep, and sequencing workflows

Kurt works in NGS sequencing services and has been with BioCurious for over 8 years. He is always thrilled to meet and help anyone interested in the wonders of biotechnology.

Cost:
$60 (includes sequencing your sample)
$50 for BioCurious members