Professional Development in eDNA Research: Senior Researcher of the Institute of Fisheries of NAAS Participated in an International Online Intensive Course by Physalia-courses
On October 19–21, 2026, Senior Researcher of the Department of Molecular Genetic Research at the Institute of Fisheries of NAAS, Olena Bielikova, participated in an international practical online intensive course titled "eDNA metabarcoding using Nanopore sequencing" (organized by Physalia-courses).
Participation in this international training program was made possible thanks to a microgrant awarded by The eDNA Collaborative.
Course Program and Key Training Focus Areas
The intensive course, led by Dr. Peter Shum (Liverpool John Moores University, UK), a leading specialist in molecular ecology, was dedicated to the full cycle of environmental DNA (eDNA) research utilizing portable Oxford Nanopore sequencing technologies.
The training program covered three core modules:
• Molecular Genetic and Laboratory Protocols: Optimization of field sampling strategies, contamination controls, modern DNA extraction and concentration methods from aquatic environments (magnetic beads, silica columns), design of specific PCR assays, utilization of blocking primers, overcoming PCR inhibition, and multiplex amplicon library preparation.
• Nanopore Bioinformatic Data Processing: Handling raw sequencing data, basecalling, demultiplexing, quality filtering, error correction, clustering, and taxonomic assignment of sequence reads (MOTU/OTU).
• Biodiversity Analysis and Statistical Processing in R: Modeling aquatic biological communities, calculating alpha and beta diversity metrics, ordination techniques, and interpreting results for environmental monitoring applications.
Significance for Research at the Institute of Fisheries of NAAS
The application of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis combined with Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology opens up new horizons for domestic hydroecology and fisheries science. The knowledge and practical skills acquired during the course will be implemented in the Department of Molecular Genetic Research to address key scientific tasks:
• Non-invasive Biodiversity Monitoring: Assessment of fish and aquatic macroinvertebrate populations in natural and artificial water bodies without the need for specimen capture.
• Early Detection of Non-native Species: Rapid monitoring and tracking of invasive aquatic species spread across Ukrainian river basins.
• Assessment of Rare and Endangered Species: Detecting the presence of native species (including sturgeons, salmonids, etc.) in their natural habitats via water samples.
• Optimization of Internal Bioinformatic Pipelines: Increasing the precision and speed of processing sequencing data generated using the institute’s Nanopore sequencing equipment.
Participation in such international workshops facilitates the integration of researchers from the Institute of Fisheries of NAAS into the global scientific community, elevates the methodological standards of domestic hydroecological research, and lays the groundwork for joint international grant initiatives.
Olena Bielikova expresses her sincere gratitude to The eDNA Collaborative and Physalia-courses for the provided grant support and the exceptional level of training organization!
