Application of molecular tools to update aquatic ecotoxicology monitoring

Metabarcoding使用最新的深度测序技术，正在彻底改变我们评估生物群落的方式。这个跨学科的学生项目旨在开发这种技术的全新应用：在水生生态毒性研究中检测和量化无脊椎动物，浮游植物和浮游动物物种。这些研究对于测试和安全评估新农药或农药配方以提高作物产量至关重要。Metabarcoding将补充并有可能取代传统的显微镜技术。该项目将包括PCR、qPCR、下一代测序和生物信息学开发的使用。还将采用传统的生态毒性方法，包括用显微镜进行分类鉴定，并对指示物种和单一作物的生长情况进行计数。这些分类方法在生态毒理学领域越来越罕见和非常可取的技能。该研究将在诺丁汉大学萨顿博宁顿校区的兽医和科学学院（SVMS）进行，该校区是公认的全球粮食安全卓越中心。学生还将与该项目的工业赞助商剑桥环境评估（CEA）进行实习。这是一个多学科的咨询和研究机构，专门研究环境毒性。

Metabarcoding, using the latest deep sequencing technology, is revolutionising how we assess biological communities. This inter-disciplinary studentship project aims to develop a completely novel application of this technology: to detect and quantify invertebrate, phytoplankton and zooplankton species in aquatic ecotoxicity studies. Such studies are crucial for the testing and safety assessment of new pesticides or pesticide formulas to improve crop production. Metabarcoding will compliment, and has the potential to replace, traditional microscopy techniques. The project will include the use of PCR, qPCR, next generation sequencing, and bioinformatics development. Conventional ecotoxicity methods will also be carried out and will include microscopy for taxonomic identification and enumeration of indicator species and the growth of monocultures. These taxonomy methods are increasingly rare and highly desirable skills in the ecotoxicology field. The study will be based in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science (SVMS) at the University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington Campus, a recognised centre for excellence in Global Food Security. The student will also undertake placements with the project's industrial sponsor Cambridge Environmental Assessment (CEA). This is a multi-disciplinary consultancy and research organisation specialising in the area of environmental toxicity.