Microbiome Science Certificate Program

The Certificate Program’s primary objective is to equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the interdisciplinary field of microbiome science. The curriculum covers a broad range of topics, including the significance of microbes in biogeochemical processes, experimental design, data analysis and management, and career development in microbiome science. The Program targets undergraduate researchers with a foundational understanding of biology, however, the Program is open to any interested participant from the high-school level to experienced scientists. The content has been reviewed by researchers, educators, microbiome scientists, members of the Microbiome Centers Consortium (MCC), and NMDC Ambassadors & Champions. 

Features:

• Twelve learning modules
• Instructional content (presentations, videos, slides)
• Interviews with experts in the field
• Readings – scientific publication(s) relating to each module
• Resources
• Quizzes
• Glossary of terms
• Access to a Slack channel w/ NMDC team members/community; network development

Modules:The Certificate Program’s 12 modules, each address an important aspect of microbiome science:

1. Microbes & Our World: Introduction to Microbiome Science: This module establishes a foundation for understanding microbes and their role in biogeochemical processes.
2. Multi-omics for Microbiomes: This module focuses on how researchers can utilize multi-omics approaches to understand complex microbiome interactions.
3. Experimental Design for Microbiome Studies: Individuals gain knowledge of experimental design principles, including controlling variables, formulating hypotheses, and considering the dynamic nature of microbiomes. 
4. Metadata, Data Stewardship & Data Management: This module emphasizes responsible data practices, and covers organization, storage, sharing, and the significance of metadata for reproducibility.
5. Microbiome Sampling, Preparation & Processing: Individuals learn practical techniques for collecting, processing, and preserving microbiome samples.
6. Microbiome Data Generation: Individuals gain an understanding of sequencing technologies and mass spectrometry and their applications in microbiome research.
7. Microbiome Data Analysis: This module equips individuals with basic bioinformatics skills, including the use of tools and pipelines for data analysis.
8. Microbiome Data Integration, Visualization, & Interpretation: Individuals learn the principles for data integration from various sources, how to generate visualizations, and how to interpret complex datasets and figures.
9. Data Deposition, Data Accessibility, & Data Reuse: This module promotes data sharing, covering data repositories and FAIR principles for data reuse.
10. Publishing, Funding, and Grant Writing for Microbiome Studies: Individuals are guided on manuscript preparation, funding acquisition, and navigating the publication process.
11. Education & Career Paths in Microbiome Science: Individuals explore various career options in microbiome science, including academia, government, non-profit, and private companies.
12. Career Development in Microbiome Science: This module captures how researchers can expand their networks, enhance their technical knowledge, and formulate career development plans.

Certificate Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this Microbiome Science Certificate Program, you will be able to:

1. Understand and communicate the importance of microbiome research and how it impacts everyday life
2. Explain what multi-omics is and how it can be used to answer research questions in microbiome research
3. Design effective microbiome experiments from start to finish
4. Demonstrate an enhanced ability to read scientific publications and interpret microbiome figures and data
5. Describe how microbiome research is funded and outline the process of writing grants
6. Articulate how microbiome research is published and how microbiome data, metadata, and information can be accessed
7. Assess different career paths in microbiome science and identify resources available to you to achieve your career goals

The Certificate Program is expected to be released in Fall 2025. Please fill out this form to indicate if you are interested in contributing to future Modules, obtaining a certificate, or teaching this content in your classroom!