Genomics Core Facility
Menzinger Str. 67
80638 München
E-Mail: GCF@snsb.de
Phone: 049 89 17861 206
Lab head
Dr. Agnes Scheunert
Background
The Genomics Core Facility of the SNSB is the central contact point for all matters and questions regarding genomics and its applications, supporting SNSB researchers in all aspects of their genomic research.The Genomics Core Facility (GCF) is located in the Botanical Institute in Obermenzing, nearby the Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg.
Modern genomic methods enable the scientific analysis of natural history collections at an unprecedented scale. Research using historical material is essential in many fields, including in the understanding of biodiversity, studying the effects of climate change and interpreting the complex effects of increasing urbanization. Since its founding in 2021, the Genomics Core Facility has enabled and supported the study of SNSB’s diverse organismal collections at the genomic level, by expanding both the spectrum of possibility of genomic research within and helping capture and utilize the extensive diversity of SNSB’s natural collections.
Mission
The Genomics Core Facility is the central point-of-contact for DNA-based research methods within the SNSB. Its mission is to integrate and connect the know-how of the individual branches of the SNSB, while monitoring the development of new genomic methods within the field. The GCF accomplishes this by partnering with SNSB researchers across all phases of a scientific project; from the grant-writing process to laboratory work, bioinformatic analysis and biological evaluation of results, through to publication. In short, the GCF offers state-of-the-art infrastructure, expert support and services for a wide-range of genomic applications.
Services
The GCF is fully equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure for the analysis of genomic material, including three Oxford Nanopore sequencers and laboratory equipment for the extraction, processing and analysis of DNA and RNA. Further services include customized workflows for DNA extraction from difficult and/or historical material, and for the extraction of high-molecular-weight DNA compatible with long-read technologies. The GCF prepares sequencing libraries for various applications including but not limited to shotgun sequencing, enrichment of genomic marker sets (e.g. target capture), amplicon sequencing (e.g. for species identification), and ddRAD/GBS sequencing.
The generation of reference genomes for both plant and animal species using long-read and/or short read sequencing technologies is another typical service of the GCF. Long-read sequencing can be performed in-house, and short-read Illumina sequencing, and other services are performed externally in close cooperation with the leading NGS provider in Germany.
In the field of bioinformatics, the GCF offers assistance and practical advice in all aspects of the analysis of DNA and RNA sequencing data. Standardized analysis workflows are available to all SNSB researchers as Nextflow pipelines, as are customized scripts for a wide variety of applications. Bioinformatic services also include the analysis of data generated outside the GCF.
In addition, the GCF offers training in cutting-edge laboratory and analysis techniques, including the co-supervision of student projects and theses. The Genomics Core facility is constantly expanding their portfolio and are always interested in implementing new techniques.