Earlier this spring, students at the University of Catania had the opportunity to explore practical methods used in environmental sequencing. Researchers from CNR‑ISAFOM contributed to the academic programme by leading a two‑day practical seminar focused on environmental DNA (eDNA) and next‑generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis.
During the sessions, Dr. Lorenzo Pin guided students
of the Biological Sciences degree through key methodological steps used in
environmental sequencing. Participants worked directly with bioinformatic tools
and explored how metabarcoding datasets from soil samples collected across
Europe can be analysed to study biodiversity and environmental conditions.
From introductory methodological concepts to the guided use
of an environmental metabarcoding pipeline, it was inspiring to see students
engaging with techniques that support MOBILES’ research on pollutant detection
and metagenomic analysis. We are glad to see this expertise shared in an
academic setting, broadening understanding of the approaches that underpin the
project’s scientific work.
A warm thank‑you to the University of Catania for hosting the activity at Aula Darwin, and to all the students who participated with such enthusiasm.
