Mr Shane Herbert1
1eDNA Frontiers | Curtin University, Bentley, Perth, Australia
Biography:
Shane is a molecular biologist and business manager having a broad spectrum of experiences in the genomics and proteomics service provision fields for over 30years. Shane’s history has included roles in biotech companies, pharmaceutical research and technology suppliers. He now leads the eDNA Frontiers group at Curtin University, a commercially focused group that translates and builds on the innovative methods and technologies developed by the consistent global leaders in environmental DNA and ancient DNA research – the Trace & Environment DNA (TrEnD) lab, and uses them with various groups across industry, government and communities.
Abstract:
The market for contract eDNA analysis services is growing rapidly. This reflects both increased acceptance of the value of eDNA-derived information, and a rise in demand for biodiversity data. The analysis of eDNA can be applied to any environment that can be effectively sampled. In our eDNA service facility, we have received an increasingly diverse range of sample types for eDNA analysis. Completed projects have come from across the spectrum of marine, groundwater, and terrestrial systems, and we have worked with users to develop new systems for sampling each of these. Faster, more versatile, and widely applicable sampling protocols increase the range of ecological questions that eDNA can address, and can improve the degree of replication in any study by reducing sampling costs.
In this talk, I will summarise trends observed in the eDNA analysis market over the past five years. I will discuss experiences in dealing with challenging samples such as hypersaline, sediment-rich water, deep ocean infrastructure, and arid locations where air or dry particulates are the only options. Assay selections have been very broad, but with the right information the application of well performing amplicons is helping create common datasets, linking research questions, DNA metabarcodes and reference sequence databases that we use to generate answers. We therefore propose an analysis approach that results in less variation and captures more information, and in doing so helps protect and build upon the investments made in eDNA studies.