Human microbiome projects have delivered our first glimpse into the microbial communities that reside in and on our bodies. Building on these efforts the research community has begun to correlate the make-up of individual microbiomes with disorders and disease such as autism, atherosclerosis, obesity and cancer. These associations capture our collective imagination as an opportunity to manipulate these microbial communities as a therapeutic approach. However, to accomplish this, researchers must use rapid and precise methods to identify these microbial communities. While traditional testing methods such as cultures often take days or weeks to obtain reliable results, QIAGEN's Microbial DNA qPCR Arrays allow screening of samples against broad panels of pathogens with unrivaled precision and speed - cutting detection time to a day. The webinar will cover: • Metagenomics and microbiomes • Development and validation of qPCR assays for identification and quantification of microbes • Case study: Application of rapids tests in today's health care systems