The ADA Forsyth Institute's Oral Microbiome Core (FOMC) is offering Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and comprehensive data analyses. We also provide interpretation for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequences as well as meta-genomic and meta-transcriptomic applications. The primary focus of the FOMC involves the microbial analysis of samples derived from the human oral cavity, however analyses of samples from all human, animal, and environmental sites are also available.

FOMC's NGS bioinformatics analysis pipeline is based on the robust species-level taxonomy assignment algorithm using a set of reference sequences that include the well-curated 16S rRNA gene reference sequences compiled from the Human Oral Microbiome Database (HOMD).

Analyses of previously obtained sequences are also offered. Many investigators are familiar with the Human Oral Microbe Identification using Next Generation Sequencing (HOMINGS) as well as its predecessor the Human Oral Microbe Identification Microarray (HOMIM) for rapid 16S rDNA analyses of oral clinical samples. We continue in that tradition using state-of-the-art bioinformatic methodology, which will provide the best possible taxa identification.

Dr. Bruce Paster (bpaster@forsyth.org), an internationally known oral microbiome researcher and the formal director of FOMC, provides research consultation and result interpretations to the researchers. Dr. George Chen (tchen@forsyth.org) is the current FOMC director and the director of Forsyth Bioinformatics Core. He is a well-known bioinformatic specialist in oral microbiome research and has many years of NGS sequencing, bioinformatics and microbiomic research experience.