International Relations Office

Center for Environmental Studies, University of Peradeniya, together with the International Relations Office, organized an online talk via Zoom meeting facility on 27th May 2020, on the topic of “Microbial Source Tracking and Monitoring with PhyloChip”. It was conducted by Dr. Gary L. Andersen, Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Andersen is one of the key innovators in the use of molecular techniques in the study of microbial ecology. His research has integrated multiple fields of biology to provide insight into interactions of environmental microorganisms in varied environments.

Dr. Andersen discussed about a sensitive and specific microarray-based single assay, built on the PhyloChip platform that is developed to detect and distinguish fecal bacteria in waterways from animal and other non-fecal sources. Dr. Shameen Jinadasa, the Director, International Relations Office, made the welcome address and introduction to the resource person. Many participants including academic staff of the University of Peradeniya were joined in this online program. A brief Q&A session was also conducted after the online session.