fundamentals of eDNA

This week in class we discussed next generation sequencing and its applicability to our work in eDNA. Because I focus on a single species approach in my research, sequencing is not the best option for me; however, it was interesting to hear how applicable this technology can be to other students’ research goals. I enjoyed the discussion on general primers because I saw some differences in my process for designing unique primers for individual PCRs. Specifically how with general primers one would look for similarities and use those in their primer design, but when trying to target one specific species, one would tend to avoid the areas of similarity between similar species. Sydney, Sam, and Emily did a great job leading a discussion on this, and by the end of it I felt as though I had a better understanding than on Monday afternoon. I also found the fluorescence of bases to be very cool, and really enjoyed the image provided in Andy’s lecture. Although very interesting and powerful, next generation sequencing will likely not be something I continue to dive into, but I am grateful for this fantastic introduction.