Publications

To minimize sample dilution effect on SARS-CoV-2 pool testing, we assessed analytical and diagnostic performance of a new methodology, namely swab pooling, in which swabs are pooled at the time of collection - as opposed to pooling of equal volumes from individually collected samples.

Library sizes obtained by 16S gene sequencing data are usually seen as arbitrary. But are they? Can we make them meaningful, both biologically and mathematically? Yes, we can.

Bacteria are ubiquitous in hospital environments, in many cases threatening infection control. In this study, we use next-generation sequencing to track down these bacteria in intensive care units (ICUs) from a Brazilian hospital for a one-year period, covering environmental samples, hospital staff, and patients. We keep track of neonatal and adult ICUs and report abundance and diversity results as well as microbial resistance profiles.

This work investigates the heterogeneity in capsule morphotypes of Cryptococcus spp., a deadly pathogen spread worldwide. We use computational tools to explore Scanning Electron Microsopy images, proposing a new phenotypical classification potentially related to yeast virulence.

A major limitation with traditional phage preparations is the variability in titer, salts, and bacterial contaminants between successive propagations. Here we introduce the Phage On Tap (PoT) protocol for the quick and efficient preparation of homogenous bacteriophage (phage) stocks.