Stefanie Moncayo

In nature, microorganisms rarely exist in isolation. Instead, they form complex consortia that drive key processes for ecosystem functioning. Common examples of vital processes that are enabled by microbial communities include digestion in the human gut and nutrient cycling in soil. By studying these communities, we can unlock potential biotechnological applications for human health, the environment, and climate.

To effectively study a microbial community, it is important to capture the full range of its constituents. This generally includes bacteria, archaea, unicellular eukaryotes, and where applicable, host interactions. For this reason, scientists rely on metagenomics, which involves sequencing all of the DNA in a given sample, to infer the composition of a community. Moreover, given how biological systems are dynamic, this is often coupled with metatranscriptomics, in which all of the RNA is sequenced in parallel. When integrated, they can reveal which microbial taxa are present and identify which genes are actually being expressed at a particular time point or condition.

One process of interest to me is bioconversion, where waste is broken down into a nutrient-rich biomass. This phenomenon is an intrinsic behavior in black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and is largely facilitated by gut microbiota. However, little is known about how colonization of the gut takes place, as well as the functional roles of the microbial taxa that persist. Therefore, my work will leverage integrated multi-omics and high-performance computing to explore how different waste substrates (e.g., plant- and animal-based) influence the colonization and functionality of the larval gut. Our improved understanding of the BSFL gut microbial community will be essential in the optimization of fly-based recycling.