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Environmental and Microbiome

Environmental and Microbiome

Beyond “who is there?” investigation in microbiome research

Holistic microbiome analysis
Real-time metabolism tracking
In-situ microbiome investigation
Analyze any sample, any condition

Understanding interactions within microbiomes is a complex challenge, especially when these interactions are not directly tied to growth and cell numbers. Interspecies synergy, competition, and other interactions within microbiomes can manifest in various ways beyond simple cell division, such as through changes in overall metabolic rates.

Unfortunately, most of our current techniques for investigating microbiomes, such as plating and sequencing, focus primarily on identifying which species are present rather than understanding what they are actually doing. Symcel’s calScreener™ changes the game.

Complexity made easy

The Symcel calScreener™ measures the smallest changes in the metabolism of an entire microbiome. Now you can determine how much energy is being turned over by all processes within a sample, independent of growth. This facilitates investigation into the contributions from non-growing species and strains, whose roles might be overlooked by conventional cell-quantitative techniques. You gain a deeper understanding of microbiome interactions and dynamics, paving the way for more advanced and comprehensive studies of microbial communities.

Natural state

Many of the most interesting microbiome samples and communities are inherently messy and intricate. Traditional methods often require removing the microbiome from its natural environment or creating artificial model systems. We need to investigate microbiomes directly in situ, preserving their natural complexity. Using microcalorimetry, you can analyze any sample directly, based on all the metabolic processes occurring within it. No sample preparation or alteration required, whether it’s soil, seawater, feces, or any other complex material, both anaerobic or aerobic.