Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important evolutionary process that allows the spread of innovations between distantly related organisms. In this webinar, I will present recent findings on the process, driving factors and impacts of HGT in light of recent developments in next-generation sequencing approaches. I will discuss examples of HGT within species, between species and between microbial communities, and how these gene exchange networks drive the genetic and phenotypic diversity of microbes in nature and clinical settings