Description
25 scientists and educators met at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Banbury Center in September to discuss how to fulfill this promise of nanopore sequencing in education. During the meeting, we learned of large existing audiences of students who could readily use nanopore sequencing for projects on DNA barcoding (popularized by the DNALC ), bacteriophage analysis (popularized by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute), and identification of antibiotic-producing bacteria (popularized by the University of Wisconsin). We also heard great examples of nanopore class projects – from assessing microbial diversity in local waterways to cataloging plants visited by bees, to sequencing daffodil chloroplast genomes.Attendees joined break out groups to discuss the promises and challenges of Nanopore sequencing, as well as proposals for broad implementation. Key themes included sustained training, resource accessibility, and community collaboration. Continuous mentorship, including virtual teaching assistants and "train-the-trainer" programs were seen as vital for long-term success. Participants highlighted the importance of creating user-friendly kits and clear protocols to make genomic research accessible across educational levels. Partnerships among educational institutions, industry, and community organizations are crucial for sharing resources and fostering a genomics-literate workforce. The DNALC, which signed an MOU with Oxford Nanopore last year, will continue working with the organizations represented at the meeting as we lay groundwork for popularizing this technology into the classroom.
This meeting is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (#1821657), and Advanced Technological Education (#1901984). Additional travel support is provided by Oxford Nanopore Technologies.
| Period | 21 Sept 2024 → 24 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | New York, United States, New YorkShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |