Links within this page: Extremophiles and Rare Microorganisms Workshop: isolation, culturing and characterization | Microbial Genomes, Metagenomics, and Transcriptomics | Metagenomic Analyses of Microbial Communities from Extreme Environments | Ecology and Conservation of the Aquatic Box Turtle (Terrapene coahuila) | Remote Sensing and Landscape Modeling for Desert Environments | Field trip: Geological and hydrogeological features of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and mountains
Date: May 26 & 27th, 2025
Location: Laboratorio Génesis, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila.
Led by: Dr. Nahui Olin Medina-Chavez and Dr. Susana De la Torre Zavala
Capacity: 15 participants
Through a combination of theoretical talks and hands-on lab work, participants will learn sampling strategies, pre-treatment methods, and both traditional and modern “culturomics” approaches for isolating, characterizing, and preserving microorganisms. With a focus on extremotolerant microbes and the thresholds they endure, attendees will gain insights into why culturing remains vital for advancing microbiological research. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore the microbial frontier where evolution and harsh environmental conditions intersect.
Date: May 26 & 27, 2025
Location: Laboratorio Génesis, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila
Led by: Dr. Cuauhtémoc Licona-Cassani
Capacity: 15 participants
In this workshop, participants will explore both the theoretical and practical aspects of preparing DNA and RNA from environmental and purified samples for sequencing. Through hands-on lab work, attendees will learn key sampling strategies, best practices for quantification and quality control, and how to select the most suitable isolation techniques based on research goals. Discussions will address choosing appropriate sequencing platforms—metagenomic or transcriptomic—and designing effective analysis pipelines to assess data quality and interpret results. This immersive experience offers insight into the full workflow of microbial genomics research, from field sampling to advanced bioinformatic processing.
Date: May 27, 2025
Location: Laboratorio Génesis, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila
Led by: Dr. Maribel Hernandez and Dr. Manuel Barrios
Capacity: 15 participants
In this workshop, participants will learn essential skills for processing metagenomic sequencing data, including: microbial species identification, metagenome assembly and metagenome annotation. This workshop provides a unique opportunity to explore the microbial diversity of extreme environments, bridging the gap between raw data and ecological insights.
Date: May 26 & 27, 2025
Location: Field sites and Hotel Marielena, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila
Led by: Dr. Gamaliel Castañeda Gaytán,Universidad Juárez del estado de Durango (UJED)
Capacity: 10 participants
This workshop focuses on the ecology and evolutionary status of the Coahuilan box turtle—an endangered species uniquely adapted to aquatic habitats. Participants will learn about its natural history, behavior, and habitat use in Cuatro Ciénegas, as well as ongoing environmental protection efforts. Through field observations and interactive discussions, attendees will gain insight into why this “Tortuga bisagra” spends most of its life in water, setting it apart from other Terrapene species. This hands-on experience offers a rare opportunity to understand and support critical conservation strategies for one of Mexico’s most distinctive endemic reptiles.
Date: May 26 & 27, 2025
Location: Hotel Marielena, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila
Led by: M.Sc. Plinio Guzmán
Capacity: 15 attendees
This workshop provides practical tools to access and process satellite data for evaluating surface water bodies and desert landscapes. Participants will explore computer vision and machine learning techniques to analyze remote sensing data, enabling them to extract valuable insights for research and resource management. While the session involves coding in Python, it is designed for non-programmers interested in applying these tools in their own work.
To ensure tailored content, registrants are required to submit a short paragraph describing their experience with satellite imagery and programming for data analytics, along with their goals for attending the session. Participants must bring their own laptop.
Date: June 1, 2025, from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Location: This field trip will start from Hotel Marielena, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila
Led by: Dr. Mariano Cerca, Dr. Jorge Aranda Gómez, Dr. Dora Carreón Freyre, and Dr. Gabriel Chávez Cabello
Capacity: 15 attendees
This trip is about exploring the unique geological features of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, discussing the hydrogeological implications, and immersing yourself in the unique experience of exploring the mountains surrounding the basin. It focuses on the unique geological site of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin. During the field trip, we will visit selected sites of geological relevance, from marine sedimentary rocks to a set of mafic scoria cones and associated lava flows that occur in the valley located between the towns of Cuatro Ciénegas and Ocampo in Coahuila. The stratigraphy of the Cuatro Cienegas region spans from the Early Cretaceous to the Recent. The geological evolution of the area is linked to the breakup of Pangea and the establishment of a passive margin during most of the Cretaceous. The mountains surrounding the Cuatro Cienegas valley, such as the Menchaca, La Fragua, La Madera, and San Marcos ranges, show a spectacular record of the shortening deformation that affected the area during the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene.
The valley of Cuatro Cienegas hosts a highly sensitive hydrogeological system where water loss in the last years has led to catastrophic biodiversity decline. Understanding the geological evolution of the region can give insight into the aquifer flow dynamics. The participants will explore the region's geological history and its relation with the sedimentary filling of the basin. We will finish the day exploring gypsum dunes and discussing a hydrogeological conceptual model for the Cuatro Cienegas Basin. The excursion will provide a hands-on experience and insights into the interplay between geology, hydrology, and biodiversity in this extraordinary desert oasis.
The cost will be $60 US DLL. What is included
- Transportation in vehicles adequate for the field trip,
- lunch during the field trip
- including one drink
- expert geologists and geomorphologists.
