Explore the tools for web-based SARS-CoV-2 sequencing analyses and learn techniques to prepare data and share genomic outputs. Discover how to analyse SARS-CoV-2 sequences using web-based tools. Over the past decade, sequencing technologies have become more accessible and sequencing data has increased exponentially. However, bioinformatics capacity is still limited. On this three-week course, you will learn the basics of bioinformatics concepts and explore the web-based tools used for viral data and sequencing analyses.
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Develop your understanding of bioinformatics and SARS-CoV-2 data analysis
Although testing and sequencing capacity has improved, in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) bioinformatics analyses still represent a bottleneck in the implementation of effective viral surveillance programmes.
This course will introduce you to SARS-CoV-2 bioinformatics pipelines. You will then learn how to use the web-based tool Galaxy for bioinformatics analyses, including how to input and process data, build a pipeline, and use existing workflows.
Explore the process of identifying SARS-CoV-2 variants across global networks
Using COVID-19 as an example, you’ll be introduced to genomic epidemiology through the lens of data sharing across global networks. You will examine best practices for data sharing in public databases.
Then, you will move on to explore phylogenetics, the best tools to use, and the models developed for SARS-CoV-2 analyses. To tie it all together, you will learn how to create and share public health reports.
Learn from global experts in bioinformatics
The educators and developers of this course are experts in bioinformatics working on data analyses and SARS-CoV-2 bioinformatics in different parts of the world. With this experience, the team is uniquely positioned to help you understand and get a step up in web-based SARS-CoV-2 bioinformatics.
Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction to viral genomics
Week 2: Exploring the pipelines available
Week 3: Introduction to genomic epidemiology of COVID-19
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe the SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic structure
- Evaluate different sequence analysis outputs
- Apply a basic analytical web-based pipeline
- Investigate how variant calling contributes to epidemiological inferences
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for diagnostic and healthcare professionals, researchers, and anyone involved in the testing and analysis of disease samples.
It will also be useful to researchers specialising in web-based bioinformatics, diagnostics, diseases, or pandemics.
