The Environmental Genomics & Surveillance projects at SCELSE address the complexities of studying microbial life in diverse environments, from ultra-low biomass systems like air microbiomes to coastal marine ecosystems and pathogen detection in wastewater. SCELSE’s approach integrates advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatics to generate detailed ‘omics insights, which are essential for understanding microbial community structures and functions. This research covers various applications, including pathogen surveillance, source tracking, and monitoring of antibiotic resistance genes, with a strong focus on public health and environmental sustainability. The project exemplifies SCELSE’s commitment to translating scientific findings into actionable strategies for addressing environmental and public health challenges.

• Air microbiomes and bioaerosols

• Pathogen wastewater surveillance

• Pathogen surveillance and source tracking

• High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics

• Single-cell genomics

SCELSE’s Environmental Genomics & Surveillance programme uses cutting-edge sequencing to track microbes in air and wastewater. In Singapore’s urban tropics, along with temperate and alpine climates, SCELSE maps the air microbiome to unravel community dynamics and understand the mechanisms underlying microbial structure and function. Its wastewater surveillance targets dengue and other viruses – building on SCELSE’s pivotal role in COVID-19 monitoring that delivered early warnings and shaped the national pandemic response.