The "DNA-hub"
The Genomics & Microbiology Research Lab serves as the NC Museum of Natural Sciences' "DNA-hub" where Museum scientists and collaborators conduct original research on a diverse array of organisms, from microbes to mammals. Utilizing shared lab equipment -- which includes standard tools such as thermal cyclers and a capillary DNA sequencer, as well more cutting edge tools, including our Eppendorf automated liquid handling robot and our Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencer -- we perform research that addresses a wide variety of evolutionary and taxonomic topics that have relevance to health, disease, agriculture, and conservation.
Because the Genomics & Microbiology Lab is enclosed by glass walls, visitors to the Nature Research Center can observe what scientists do daily in a typical molecular biology lab -- pipeting liquids, assembling PCR experiments, culturing microbes, examining specimens with microscopy, analyzing data, writing grants and papers, collaborating, crying or celebrating (depending on how one's experiments and grant proposals turn out).
Donate to the Genomics & Microbiology Research Fund
We need your support. The Genomics & Microbiology Research Fund finances genetics and microbiolgoy research at the North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences, under the guidance of Head, Dr. Julie Horvath. Funds go directly to discover and research species
relationships, health, disease, and conservation as well as to engage Museum visitors, students and the next generation
of scientists.
Staff
- Head: Julie Horvath
- Lab Manager: Marianne Barrier
- Additional Staff:
- Bryan Stuart
- Heather Evans
- Previous Staff:
- Sarah Council
- Audrey Cummings
- Olivia Evangelista
- Heather Farrington
- Daniel Fergus
- Julia Stevens
- Julie Urban