Anschutz Center for Microbiome Excellence (ACME)

ACME, in conjunction with the Lozupone Research Lab, provides a myriad of services in molecular microbiology and bacteriology. Our expertise includes full-service 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing and analysis, metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sample prep and downstream analysis, and anaerobic bacterial culturing.

Service discounts, Microgrants, and Pilot grants for our services are offered through the NIH (P30) supported Center for Mucosal Immunology and Rheumatic Disease Pathogenesis (CMIR) and its Mucosal Immunobiology Core.

We are eager to discuss your project and provide quotes for grant submissions. For more information and to set up an initial discussion, please contact  [email protected].

Microbiome Sequencing

To support characterization of microbial community composition, we provide high-quality and quality-controlled microbial diversity data by performing nucleic acid isolation from biospecimens and 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing using the standardized protocols of the Earth Microbiome Project.

For metagenomic and metatranscriptomic projects, we perform nucleic acid isolation and sample normalization. We have also optimized nucleic acid extraction for a dual-seq procedure for projects investigating host-microbiome interactions. We then coordinate with the Genomics Shared Resource at Anschutz for library prep and sequencing.

We have extensive experience in many types of biospecimens including feces, cecum, mucosal biopsy, and saliva. We can also develop and optimize protocols for other types of biospecimens. ACME has worked with dozens of academic and industry labs in the CU System, VA, and around Colorado.

Microbiome Data Analysis

We provide 16S and 18S rRNA microbiome analysis for a standard fee. This work includes demultiplexing and denoising sequences, building a phylogenetic tree and assigning taxonomy based on unique sequences per sample, and computing alpha and beta diversity measures. The output includes summary tables and plots to describe the overall microbiome composition. The standard fee includes an one-on-one meeting to review results and access to the sequencing data and output files. Our analyses are conducted using a modified workflow adapted from the Moving Pictures tutorial in the QIIME2 software package. 

ACME also performs analysis on metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data for a standard fee. These analyses follow the HoMi workflow and include host filtering and mapping-based processing to taxonomic and functional profiles. HoMi is also used for host-microbiome dual-transcriptomic analysis. Please see the HoMi documentation page for more information.

Bacterial Culturing

Services List