“Mapping of Microbial life in Flowing Media – of People, Air, Pollen, and Honey”
Introduction by Ignacio Chapela
The state of the art for detection of microbial life in the environment is constricted by a number of limitations. Among these are: unwieldily purification and amplification procedures for microbial DNA analysis, an overwhelming emphasis on DNA barcoding and massive sequencing approaches and the professionalization of facilities.
These limitations stand in the way of true mapping efforts i.e. high resolution detection of discrete DNA sequences in their geographic, temporal, and phylogenetic context.
We have developed methods, both biochemical and social, for the mapping of microbes in the environment.
Teaming up with small scale beekeepers and global honey distributors we are releasing a prototype new tool, designed from the ground-up, from biochemistry to mechanical and optical characteristics, which allows low-income beekeepers to detect DNA markers from pollen grains within their honey.
By way of these initial nodes in a network of pollen analysis we aim to create the seeds for a truly decentralized, distributive and autonomous network of microbial DNA cartographers.