Subtracting host DNA from host-associated metagenome datasets

In metagenomics projects, DNA is sequenced from a  sample of organisms
and the DNA reads are then analyzed to determine the taxonomical and
functional content of the sample. In the case of samples taken from the
human biome, the biomes of other organisms, or from ancient remains of organisms,
an additional difficulty arises because the DNA of the sampled organisms
is mixed with the DNA of the host organism. The Schuster lab at Penn State University
has developed some computation methods for detecting
host DNA and the aim of this project is to refine these methods and to develop
them into a tool that can be used together with the metagenome analyzer tool
MEGAN.

This thesis will be jointly supervised by the Huson lab (Uni Tuebingen)
and the Schuster lab (Comparative Genomics, Penn State Uni)

Please contact: Daniel Huson