MAMBA Workshop 2012

A laboratory workshop for young scientists and technical personnel on metagenomics

As we promised in MAMBA proposal, apart from daily teaching activities, one web-workshop was organized at the University of Duesseldorf (partner HHUD). Moreover, based on facilities of IAMC-CNR, one summer school was organized onboard of RV Urania during the oceanographic cruise MICRODEEP (14 of September – 01 of October 2012). Three days-long workshop between 18 and 20th of September was dedicated to the modern deep-sea sampling techniques used to obtain sufficient material for the metagenomic studies. Four young scientists, four PhD students and one student came from different countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia and USA) and attended to this summer school.

First day was dedicated to get familiar with the high-resolution sampling approach used for study highly stratified deep-sea microbial communities. Using precise positioning of CTD sensors, this sampling technique yielded the exact time and depth at which each sampling bottle was closed. In this way it was possible to determine at which point of the conductivity curve during the cast the bottles were closed.

Second and third day of the school were dedicated to the in situ treatment of the deep-sea samples before cast recovery. This technique allows the scientists to work with environmental material unaffected by decompression. The part held with the participation of the external scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, USA), leading in the field of deep-sea in situ samplings. More information about MAMBA summer school is enclosed in the leaflet below.