In this seminar, Dr. Mason will cover new discoveries in RNA-sequencing (metatranscriptomics) and DNA-sequencing (metagenomics) across dozens of cities on Earth as part of the MetaSUB Consortium, including wastewater as a novel means to track microbes in cities, new species found on the International Space Station, and results from the Inspiration4 mission.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing are used to study microbial diversity in urban and space environments.

2. Identify novel microbial species and community dynamics discovered through global city sampling, wastewater monitoring, and spaceflight missions.

3. Evaluate the implications of microbial surveillance for public health, environmental monitoring, and human space exploration.