Metagenomics and Metabarcoding to Understand Microbial Dynamics in Wastewater Treatment Systems

Wastewater treatment systems are carried out by a complex community of microorganisms that change over time and with operating conditions. Understanding how these communities function helps us address operational problems, optimise processes, and design new biobased technology. To achieve this, it is necessary to know which microorganisms are present, their abundances, and their metabolic capabilities. In recent decades, the major advances in affordable DNA sequencing methods and computational data analysis have enabled methodologies that, through DNA, reveal the taxonomy of microorganisms (by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding) and their genetic background (metagenomics).

This webinar will showcase the tools that can be used to understand how the microbial systems operate. Four researchers from Latin America (two young researchers and two consolidated) will share their experiences, the problems they have faced, and the challenges ahead.

Academics and researchers on microbial wastewater treatment and other bioprocesses who are considering the use of molecular biology tools for their research. Graduate students and engineers to improve their research or work.

Participants need only be familiar with or work with microbial bioprocesses, basics of microbiology as well as have some knowledge of the existence of the DNA-based tools to analyse microbial communities.

Following this session, participants will be able to

• Understand how to apply DNA-based techniques to investigate the microbiological processes within wastewater treatment systems.
• Gain insights into the Latin American perspective on the application of molecular tools to address specific research questions related to wastewater treatment systems.

• Identifying which microorganisms are present in the different wastewater treatment systems, their abundance, and their metabolic functions is crucial to understanding system performance.
• Advances in affordable DNA sequencing and computational analysis now allow detailed insight into microbial communities through genetic information.
• The webinar will demonstrate how these modern tools can be applied to study and improve wastewater treatment systems.

• MEWE SG Chair : Cindy Smith, Professor and RAEng Research Chair, University of Glasgow, Scotland (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-smith-8892b089/)
• Moderator : Claudia Etchebehere, Biological Research Institute Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claudia-Etchebehere-2?ev=hdr_xprf)

- Speakers

1. Leandro D. Guerrero, Institute for Research in Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology, Buenos Aires, Argentina (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leandro-Guerrero)
2. Patricia Bovio-Winkler, Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC), Durazno, Uruguay (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patricia-Bovio-Winkler)
3. Julián Carrillo Reyes, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Institute of Engineering, Juriquilla, México (https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-carrillo-reyes-86b27956/)
4. Juliana Calabria de Araujo, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juliana-Araujo-3)