Microbiome Design
Microbiome Design helps research and biotech teams design, analyse, and interpret omics projects that need more than a standard data-processing service. Founded by Dr Matthew Tarnowski, a specialist with combined wet-lab and computational expertise in metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, long-read sequencing, and microbial ecology.
Academic research groups, biotech and startup teams, and environmental or industrial projects working on microbial systems, biodegradation, wastewater, and circular bioeconomy challenges. UK-based, with selected collaborations in Europe and the USA.
Every project follows four phases: scope, design, deliver, interpret. Work starts with the biological question, not the pipeline. Every deliverable includes reproducible analysis code, annotated results, and a written interpretation.
Metagenomics. Metatranscriptomics. Long-read sequencing workflows. Multi-omics integration. Candidate prioritisation. Microbial, environmental, and biodegradation systems.
Most bioinformatics providers either execute pipelines without interpreting the biology, or interpret biology without reproducible methods. Microbiome Design does both. Every project starts with the biological question. Every deliverable includes working code, documented QC decisions, and plain-language conclusions you can publish or present. Nothing is a black box.
The business is founder-led. Dr Matthew Tarnowski, Research Officer at the University of Swansea, handles every project directly. First-author publications in Nature Communications and Royal Society Open Science. Combined wet-lab and computational background in metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, long-read sequencing, and biodegradation systems.
Deep biological interpretation, not just analysis. The ability to connect sequencing, microbial ecology, biodegradation and environmental function, multi-omics evidence, and experimental follow-through in a single engagement is much more valuable than generic pipeline execution.
Strong niche in mixed microbial systems. The background fits problems where biology is messy: wastewater, environmental microbiomes, plastic degradation, bioremediation, microbial consortia, and functional community shifts. These are harder to commoditise and where specialist input makes the most difference.
Bridge between academia-quality science and commercial delivery. Most providers are either technically shallow but polished, or scientifically strong but not commercial. Microbiome Design is built around being rigorous, fast, clear in communication, and decision-oriented.
Multi-omics integration and interpretation. The goal is to reduce time from data to decision-ready biological insight. Not just processed files but annotated conclusions you can stand behind.
Founder-led expertise. Senior scientific input on every project. Bespoke problem-solving. Direct access to expertise. No account managers, no junior handoffs.
Mixed microbial communities. Environmental samples with low reference coverage. Long-read data. Non-model organisms. Multi-omics datasets combining metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics. These are the projects where generic pipeline services fail and where specialist input makes the difference between publishable results and unusable data.
Primary market is UK academic and commercial clients. Selected collaborations in Europe and the USA for projects with strong scientific fit and clear scope. Scoping calls are free and take thirty minutes. No commitment required.
Book a free 30-minute project scoping call. No commitment required.