Cheaper sequencing, bigger payoff: New software could bring advanced metagenomics to more labs

Metagenomics relies on the use of software programs called assemblers, which can reconstruct tens of thousands of individual microbial genomes from DNA sequencing of samples such as soil, bodily fluids, or clinical swabs from hospitals. This can allow researchers to track and analyze how complex microbial communities change over time, and spot the spread of pathogens in health care settings.