MECOH Lab Visits The Lab of Environmental Water Quality Engineering Faculty, Tohoku University For Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration Opportunity

​Ph.D. candidate KyleYoung Low travelled to Sendai city, Miyagi to visit Prof. Daisuke Sano's lab to gain insight on critical techniques relating to his wastewater study. He is in the midst of optimising and selecting methods to extract and purify a diverse set of viral communities (viromes) from wastewater and the expertise shown by the Lab of Environmental Water Quality (EWQ) Faculty of Engineering in Tohoku University. This visit may prove to be a valuable experience for him. 

First, wastewater samples has to be collected from Matsuyama city's main wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater samples were taken from incoming waste (influent) with the kind help of a staff from the treatment plant

Then, the wastewater samples travelled together with its owner and arrived safely to the Environmental Water Quality Engineering Faculty, Tohoku University via the Shinkansen. 

The wastewater sampling protocol such as the EPISENS-S RNA extraction method was demonstrated by EWQ lab members, Marcus Sanchez and Dr. Ueki, with expertise. 

Left: Marcus Sanchez demonstrating the protocol to extract viral RNA using the decanting method
Right: Dr. Ueki synthesising cDNA from RNA extracted in wastewater of Sendai city

Of course, the greatest benefit of this trip is to gain first-hand experience on performing the method personally with close guidance from experts.

.Apart from experiments, it is also important to establish collaborative opportunities through discussions and research proposals. KyleYoung Low wasted no time to squeeze his presentation on "An Integrated Approach to Wastewater Viral Metagenomics: Metaviromics"

From left: Prof. Daisuke Sano and KyleYoung Low having a moment after the presentation.

No trip would be complete without taking in the local scenery.