Genomics is one of most promising biological research area, nowadays thanks to the novel DNA sequencing techniques based on parallel sequencing it is possible to sequence wide regions of DNA and even an entire genome in a very short time and in a very cost effective way. In this scenario bioinformatics and thus MBLab counts to have a central role for data management. It consists in the analysis of DNA sequence through an increasing number of proprietary bioinformatic algorithms. MBLab effort in the genomic area is focused in three application areas: DNA-Barcoding, Metagenomics and Genome Annotations.

• DNA-Barcoding is one of the most emerging bio-molecular technologies that is going to revolutionize the way to classify the organisms or, in other words, to change the approach of the whole Taxonomy. The principle behind DNA-Barcoding is that all vertebrate's genomes share a common region, i.e. CO-I, through which it's possible to distinguish among species. In fact, this DNA short sequence (approximately just 650 base pairs) has the peculiar property of varying more inter species than intra species. (see our tool)
  
  
  

• Thanks to the advanced molecular taxonomic tools such as DNA-Barcoding and to the latest sequencing techniques, it's now possible to analyze at the same time an heterogeneous sample composed by a multitude of species, thus going beyond the genomics of a single species: this is called Metagenomics. This is a very powerful tool that allows to analyze with an unheard precision very complex samples, i.e. wine, quickly and cost effectively. (see our tool)
  
  
  

• In recent years, the increasing number of available complete genome, often supplied with curated gene annotations, are providing an ideal starting point for a new research field known as comparative genomics. Our laboratory is developing powerful bioinformatic tools able to effectively support a bioinformatic curator in the annotation task by comparing unannotated genomes with reference ones. In particular, our project is focused on the annotation of the pathway of Ochratoxin A (OTA), which have been shown to be nephrotoxic, nephrocarcinogenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive, and is producted by Aspergillus carbonarius. (see our tool)