Genomics at Sea Program (GASP)
The Genomics at Sea Program (GASP) is a ship-based research project that uses Oxford Nanopore’s next-generation sequencing technology to sequence microbial DNA in the nearshore environment of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). GASP has successfully implemented the complete microbial community analysis workflow, from sampling to sequencing while at sea, allowing researchers to observe current seasonal data while still in the field and begin to test hypotheses while still having access to the environment of interest. This opportunity accelerates the pace of research, which is typically slowed significantly when samples have to be shipped to laboratories for later analysis. Currently, GASP is investigating how phytoplankton communities respond to nutrient input from penguin colonies around the WAP, to better understand how these endemic Antarctic macro-fauna affect microbial community diversity at the ice-ocean boundary.