Microbial Genomics Biomedical Core

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MICROBIAL GENOMICS BIOMEDICAL CORE (MGBC): PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The mission of the Columbia University O’Brien Urology Research Center is to identify genetic factors and congenital malformations that predispose individuals to UTI, such as vesicoureteral reflux, to explore host- bacterial metabolic pathways, such as heme, that enable or prevent infection. To achieve this goal, the Microbial Genomics and Biomedical Core (MGBC) will provide high quality services for biobanking, extended bacterial culture, microbial genomics (microbiome analyses, comparative genomics, RNASeq), microbial genetics and consultation for study design. The MGBC will enable Columbia O’Brien Center investigators to have access to specialized genomic technologies, coordinated expert consultations and improved rigor and reproducibility in genomics and precision medicine. These services are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Research Projects of the Columbia O’Brien Center. Moreover, the MBMC will serve as a national resource for members of other George M. O'Brien Cooperative Research Centers and other NIDDK Urologic Research Programs. Additionally, the MGBC will work closely with the Administrative Core to ensure adherence to all fiscal, administrative, and resource sharing policies. The MGBC will also contribute to the goals of the Educational Enrichment and Opportunity Pool Programs through lectures, student mentorship, and guidance on experimental design related to microbial genomics for Opportunity Pool awardees. The MBMC will accomplish these goals through the following aims: 1) Establish a urine biorepository from clinically well-defined patients with different UTI symptoms; 2) Provide Microbiome and metagenome analyses; 3) Perform extended urine culture for organism identification; 4) Facilitate whole genome sequencing of dominant UTI pathogenic clones; 5) Determine gene expression by RNAseq and quantitative real-time PCR; 6) Generate bacterial mutants; and 7) Provide consultations and support of study design for the Research Projects.