Richard Leggett
@richardmleggett.bsky.social
Bioinformatics/Nanopore/Metagenomics person at the Earlham Institute. This is my (unofficial) work related account - I do inane non-work stuff elsewhere! https://www.earlham.ac.uk/leggett-group
Really nice piece in Nature this week by @aislingirwin.bsky.social about airborne DNA which includes a little mention of some of our work (with Matt Clark) and the spinout of @agnosbiosciences.com. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for
Airborne genetic material can be used to paint a picture of ecosystem health, watch for invasive species and even identify humans.
nature.com
The programme for the 2nd Aerosols and Microbiology conference is now available. The first meeting was fantastic, so very much looking forward to this. Recommended if you are working in the area. microbiologysociety.org/event/2nd-ae...
2nd Aerosols and Microbiology: Bridging disciplines to advance health & environmental sustainability
microbiologysociety.org
I am pleased to share that my first postdoc paper from the @halllab.bsky.social is now on bioRxiv! 🎉 We used long-read #metagenomics to explore how the gut microbiome and #antimicrobialresistance landscape shift across advanced chronic #liverdisease (ACLD) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Decoding the microbiome and resistome of advanced chronic liver disease through long-read metagenomics
Introduction - Patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) and underlying cirrhosis frequently require repeated courses of antimicrobial therapy, with both the frequency and spectrum of antimi...
biorxiv.org
Exciting day at London’s Science Museum for the #InnovationforGrowth meeting where we’re showing off AirSeq technology from @earlhaminst.bsky.social and @nhm.org Meeting organised by @ukri.org to highlight the importance of research and innovation for economic growth.
Know metagenomics and could spare 2 mins? I'm applying for funding to build a visual repository for metagenomic classification data (not sequence data). To support the application, I have a short 2 minute survey and it would be a big help if you could fill it in: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Know metagenomics and could spare 2 mins? I'm applying for funding to build a visual repository for metagenomic classification data (not sequence data). To support the application, I have a short 2 minute survey and it would be a big help if you could fill it in: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Metagenomic classification survey
Background: We're seeking the views of researchers on the possibility of a repository for metagenomic classification data, which we're hoping to build. The rationale is that people are familiar with t...
docs.google.com
Exciting news! We are pleased to announce the call for abstracts for our 2nd Aerosols and Microbiology Meeting, taking place from 9–11 June 2026 at the Leeds Marriott Hotel: microb.io/Aerosols2026... #Aerosols2026
Hey @moderation.bsky.app I set up a new account @martisoftware.bsky.social to give updates on a piece of open source scientific software and you've flagged it as spam because I followed 9 people and made 1 post. You've then failed to respond to my appeal. What is going on?
Our MARTi @nanoporetech.com paper is now out in @genomeresearch.bsky.social after several years of development (particularly Ned Peel and Sam Martin). We'd love to hear from users about how you're using it, or suggestions for new features. @earlhaminst.bsky.social genome.cshlp.org/content/earl...
Real-time analysis and visualization of nanopore metagenomic samples with MARTi
An international, peer-reviewed genome sciences journal featuring outstanding original research that offers novel insights into the biology of all organisms
genome.cshlp.org
💬 “It’s operationally very lightweight, you can use it in-field for taxonomic classification on a standard laptop, or undertake larger, complex analysis using HPC.” 💻🧬 Scientists at Earlham Institute introduce MARTi, a new tool for real-time #nanopore #metagenomics. @genomeresearch.bsky.social
New software tool MARTi fast-tracks identification and response to microbial threats.
An open-source software tool that powers real-time analysis and visualisation of metagenomic data
buff.ly
Building An Interferometer With LEGO: hackaday.com/2025/02/28/b...
Building An Interferometer With LEGO
LEGO! It’s a fun toy that is popular around the world. What you may not realize is that it’s also made to incredibly high standards. As it turns out, the humble building blocks are good…
hackaday.com
Excellently led by Mia Berelson.
Earlham Institute@earlhaminst.bsky.social · last yr.📄 A new review from scientists at the Earlham Institute, @johninnescentre.bsky.social and @nhm-london.bsky.social discusses the developments, methodology, and applications of airborne #DNA #sequencing. 🍃 ➡️ buff.ly/adMCpPd @richardmleggett.bsky.social 🖥️ 🧬
🆕 Registration has is open for our training course '#Nanopore #Metagenomics: from sample to analysis. The course provides a thorough overview of lab and in-field, real-time @nanoporetech.com #sequencing, including DNA extraction, library preparation, and data analysis and visualisation. 🖥️ 🧬
Nanopore metagenomics: from sample to analysis 2025
Learn how to extract DNA from metagenomic samples, prepare libraries, carry out nanopore sequencing and analyse data.
buff.ly
A few places remaining for EI's latest "Nanopore metagenomics: from sample to analysis" course, running 8-9 July 2025. Will hopefully be a good introduction to wet lab and bioinformatics, plus the opportunity to discuss your projects. @nanoporetech.com www.earlham.ac.uk/events/nanop...
Nanopore metagenomics: from sample to analysis 2025
In this in-person workshop, learn how to extract DNA from metagenomic samples, prepare libraries, carry out nanopore sequencing and analyse data.
earlham.ac.uk
At the Earlham Institute, we develop tools that help researchers share, access, and use large #genomic datasets. 🖥️🧬 One of those is Grassroots Genomics - an open-source platform supporting the plant genomic community. #FAIRdata #OpenScience ➡️ buff.ly/CRUNCDr @richardmleggett.bsky.social
Threshing out the grains of FAIR data with Grassroots
In an era of cheaper and faster sequencing, genomics can mean having to find a needle-sized piece of vital information in a haystack-sized wealth of data. Our Grassroots tool helps you sort the wheat…
buff.ly
Keen to understand more about #Nanopore #metagenomics? Join our course in July for hands-on training covering experimental methods, sample collection, #DNA extraction and library preparation. buff.ly/jX87IHb @richardmleggett.bsky.social
Nanopore metagenomics: from sample to analysis 2025
In this in-person workshop, learn how to extract DNA from metagenomic samples, prepare libraries, carry out nanopore sequencing and analyse data.
buff.ly
Great talk at #CMINorwich25 from Mia Berelson on sequencing fungal pathogens from the air using AirSeq @richardmleggett.bsky.social @norwichmicro.bsky.social @earlhaminst.bsky.social
It’s nice to be attending the first annual conference of the Centre for Microbial Interactions, to which I am affiliated. So many Norwich researchers are involved in this great initiative. Also amused to discover my new Spanish naming on the name badge! #cminorwich25 @norwichmicro.bsky.social
Happy to share our latest paper led by Will Boulton just out in 'Scientific Data'. Significant effort including #Alfred-Wegener-Institute, @jgi.doe.gov, @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social ++ Metagenome-assembled-genomes recovered from the #Arctic drift expedition #MOSAiC www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We're really excited to be part of Norwich Science Festival next month! Thanks to our PhD intern @rapher97.bsky.social we're running a poster trail around Norwich city centre from 1-22 February and an interactive stand at The Forum on 21 February: norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/mar...
Marvellous Microbes Trail | Norwich Science Festival
norwichsciencefestival.co.uk
For a slightly more sober analysis of Nvidia's new Project Digits "super" personal computer, see this great article at @theregister.com www.theregister.com/2025/01/07/n...
Nvidia unveils cut-down Grace-Blackwell Superchip
Tuned for running chunky models on the desktop with 128GB of RAM, custom Ubuntu
theregister.com
New year, new assemblies! I'm excited to announce Autocycler, my new tool for consensus assembly of long-read bacterial genomes! It's the successor to Trycycler, designed to be faster and less reliant on user intervention. Check it out: github.com/rrwick/Autoc... (1/5)
Home
A tool for generating consensus long-read assemblies for bacterial genomes - rrwick/Autocycler
github.com
It certainly is! But there is even more to it than scientists and data centres! 😃 🧬🔬🥼
Ken Ho@drkenho.bsky.social · 2y agoNever been to Norwich, but sounds like the place to visit.
Do get in contact with me, or even better, Simon Tyrrell (not of this platform) if you want to know more!
Earlham Institute@earlhaminst.bsky.social · 2y agoWe're recruiting for a Research #SoftwareEngineer to work on the Earlham Institute's Grassroots Genomics Platform - supporting #FAIRdata access and sharing across the #wheatgenomics community. @richardmleggett.bsky.social 📅 Apply by: 29 January ℹ️ Full-time, part-time, or job-share considered 🖥️🧬
And support to deposit long read technology data was added relatively recently!
I would guess deposits at SRA are typically delayed 1-many years from start of work, so not so much the state of sequencing in 2024, but fascinating figure nonetheless!
Jonathan Jacobs@bioinformer.bsky.social · 2y ago🧬🖥🧪 Here are some healthy reminders on just how much Illumina still dominates the #genomics space... 😐
Exciting news! The latest hifiasm release from Haoyu Cheng and Heng Li adds beta support for @nanoporetech.com simplex R10 reads. Initial results look very promising. 🚀 Check it out: github.com/chhylp123/hi...
Release Hifiasm-0.21.0-r686 · chhylp123/hifiasm
Since Hifiasm-0.20.0 (r639): New Feature: Introduced a beta module for ONT assembly using ONT simplex R10 reads. To enable this feature, add the --ont option as shown below: hifiasm -t64 --ont -o...
github.com
If you haven't seen this, an interesting analysis (uk based) peerj.com/articles/989/
Research groups: How big should they be?
Understanding the relationship between scientific productivity and research group size is important for deciding how science should be funded. We have investigated the relationship between these varia...
peerj.com
Dear @pnas.org , I strongly disagree. I believe that in the current funding environment, caps to individual labs and PIs are and would be absolutely crucial for sustaining scientific innovation. Would you consider a counter opinion piece? Who’d be interested in writing one with me?
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences@pnas.org · 2y agoOpinion piece: Federal #research programs should support the most talented scientists at the nation’s top universities. Caps on the number of applications allowed from a single institution risk undermining that mission: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #grants #DepartmentOfEnergy #FederalFunding
