1. Marseille and Buenos Aires incorporation to the MetaSUB Project
Nicolas Rascovan, Ph.D.
Unite de recherche sur les maladies infectieuses et tropicales emergentes (URMITE)
Université de Aix-Marseille,
Marseille, France

2. Marseille MetaSUB team
The Lab:
URMITE Institute: Research focus on Infectious diseases
Christelle Desnues Lab: Viral metagenomics
My research background:
- Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Argentina ( )
Soil and plant associated microbiomes
Microbial communities in extreme environments
- Postdoc ( )
Ancient microbiomes
Rare infectious diseases

3. City Sampling day at Marseille
Monday, June 20th
One day before most other countries  June 21st is an atypical day in France
9 stations sampled :
3 sites at the station (by triplicate)
1 train (by triplicate)
4 people sampling
Christelle Desnues
Sebastien Halary
Julien Lambert
Nicolas Rascovan
Part of the initial plan, but not sampled
3 minutes sampling for each Swab
7.5 hours sampling
~ 50 minutes sampling per station

4. For each station we sampled:
Three types of surfaces at the station:
The train used to move to the next station:
1) Ticket Kiosks x3
4) Seats, poles, handles, handrail
2) Handrails x3
(2 stainless steal, 1 plastic from escalator)
3) Turnstiles x3
(Either card reader or turnstile)

5. A total of 111 samples collected:
107 samples + 4 controls
Stored at -80C
+ Negative control 1: Flask opened during all day the lab and then swabbed
+ Negative control 2: 2 swabs opened for 30 seconds in the lab and then closed
+ Positive control: Cellular

6. Considerations from the sampling day experience:
- Cell phones have a limited life battery (3 stations, 3 hours at full usage)
- One person per sampling surface is more efficient than changing surfaces
- Very positive outcome from involving metro authorities and guards
- Very positive feedback from the public
- Ticket kiosks were much dirtier than handrails and turnstiles

7. Issues:
- Collected metadata was the minimum required:
Two persons per sample is required for better metadata record
- Only one measure of humidity and temperature per station
(variation inside station was not evaluated)
- No photos with labeled tubes

8. MetaSUB in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Team: 4 people
Ariel Chernomoretz, Leonardo Erijman, Hernan Grecco, Nicolas Rascovan
Delay for receiving the sampling material : Re-scheduled for July 2016.
Metagenomic School planned for 2017 (two weeks):
- Focused on MetaSUB experience as model
- Students and Researchers from Argentina and Latin America
- International speakers (some invited from MetaSUB consortium)
- Theoretical part and in-silico/hands-on practical part
- Collective sampling and data analysis

9. Thanks for your attention!
And special thanks to:
Chris Masson
Maureen Milici
Sofia Ahsanuddin
Ebrahim Afshinnekoo
For their infinite patience and excellent predisposition
to help and assist during the planning of the CSD
and the organization of this wonderful meeting