The Ocular Surface Microbiome: A Comparison of Fresh and Frozen Samples
The objective of the study is to determine the effect of freezing on the taxonomic composition in ocular surface microbiome (OSM) samples. OSM swabs of the right eye (OD), left eye (OS), and both eyes (OU) are sampled from 4 individuals. In half of the samples, DNA is extracted directly after swab collection. In the other half, DNA is extracted after storage at -20°C. It would be more efficient and more convenient for the organization of experiments, if we can collect our patient's samples, freeze them, store them and isolate the DNA from larger batches at the same time. Our goal is to determine if freezing could be a valid option in future experimental setups.