Liana Merck
Microbiome

Where in the world is Liana?

Hello! Are you interested in how microbes differ across borders? Do you want to see how human behavior affects microbial diversity? Or maybe you’re looking for tips on researching abroad.

Follow me, Liana, a grad student at Harvard University and a 2021 Watson fellow, as I journeyed across the globe exploring the wonderful world of microbial and human cultures. During my eight-month Watson fellowship, I visited farms and labs in different countries, collecting and sequencing microbes from yogurt and other fermented foods. Along the way, I also explored local cultures and customs and shared my experience of traveling and working abroad. Read my blog below to find out more.

And if you want to know how I got from brewing kombucha to getting a Watson Fellowship, read my bio.

Sequencing begins in Switzerland
Sequencing begins in Switzerland
Liana ends her journey with a visit to a lab in Switzerland where she starts her sequencing experiments. She also takes a cheese sampling trip in Austria and Italy and reflects on her time as a Watson fellow.
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Uncovering the secrets of Skyre in Iceland
Uncovering the secrets of Skyre in Iceland
Liana’s penultimate destination takes her to Iceland to uncover the secrets of skyr and take on the challenge of making her very own lab-made skyr.
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Exploring spontaneous ferments in the UK
Exploring spontaneous ferments in the UK
Liana’s interest in spontaneous fermentation takes her across Ireland and southeast England to meet her microbiology hero and explore a variety of cheeses, sourdoughs, fermented wild garlic and more.
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Sampling exotic foods in Thailand
Sampling exotic foods in Thailand
Liana joins a lab in the middle of a forest in southern Thailand. During her stay, she discovers an assortment of unique fermented foods at the local markets and tries fermenting spring onions in the lab.
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Discovering home ferments in Singapore
Discovering home ferments in Singapore
After a month in India, Liana arrives in Singapore, where she fulfills a childhood dream and gets her research back on track.
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Learning to teach yoga in India
Learning to teach yoga in India
Ahead of her next destination, Liana reflects on her time at a yoga school in India and how to navigate the highs and lows of traveling during a pandemic.
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Research gets underway in France
Research gets underway in France
Liana starts her first DNA extractions using the DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Kit. She also visits a small family farm and an artisan cheesemaker where she samples different stages of the cheese-aging process and learns about natural fermentation.
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Arriving in Toulouse
Arriving in Toulouse
Liana arrives in Toulouse, where she spends her first night exploring the Christmas market and scoping out the yogurt section of her local supermarket. Liana also meets her new lab group, battles with jet lag and starts her first sampling of regional cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.
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The beginning
The beginning
Liana prepares to leave her home in sunny San Diego for a research adventure of a lifetime. After months of planning and pandemic-related setbacks, Liana finally says farewell to her family, friends and beloved kombucha SCOBY.
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