It has been just over three years since we began offering next-generation sequencing services on our Illumina MiSeq platform, and we thought it was worth sharing a brief update on how this part of our laboratory has developed.

Since commissioning the MiSeq in early 2022, we have completed sequencing projects for clients in environmental consulting, university research, agricultural science, wastewater treatment, and industrial microbiology. The most common application remains 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for microbial community characterization, though we have also supported targeted gene panels, small genome assemblies, and method development projects.

The addition of Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing has provided a useful complement to Illumina — particularly for clients who need rapid turnaround, long reads, or lower-cost entry points for pilot studies.

We continue to invest in this area and expect molecular biology to remain a growing part of our service portfolio. If you have a project that might benefit from DNA-based analysis, we welcome the opportunity to discuss it.