After much preparation, we are eager to announce the continuation of our Bioinformatics Training Program, the 2011 Bioinformatics Short Course. It will provide intensive hands-on training to enhance understanding of algorithms and the limitations of different sequencing technologies with focus on next-generation sequencing techniques and tools. Topics will include an introduction to the basics of sequencing technology, de novo sequence assembly, SNP discovery with or without a reference genome, ChIP-seq (Chromatin immunoprecipitation – sequencing), RNA-seq or digital gene expression, metagenomics and functional analysis using genome browsers and high performance computing techniques.

The course includes a rich collection of lectures and hands-on sessions. In morning sessions, leading experts in each field will introduce basic concepts as well as present real world practical examples. During the afternoons, students will have a chance to walk through software and protocols for handling next-generation data analysis. While biological and medical knowledge are helpful, students do not need to have prior programming skills to participate in the course. On top of a week of lectures and hands-on workshops, we’re providing a 2-day course September 20-21 on Cloud Computing for Bioinformatics with emphasis on Amazon Web Services which can be purchased separately or as part of the larger course. We’ll have more information as it becomes available.

The location of the morning session for the Amazon Cloud Computing workshop is moved to Giedt Hall, room 1006. Registration and morning lectures will take place there. We will then have lunch at Tercero Dining Commons before moving to the Sciences Building 2060 for the rest of the course. For locations, check out the location section.

The course schedule for the Amazon Cloud Computing Workshop, taking place September 19-20, 2011, is now up. This course provides intensive training, taking bioinformaticians and scientists without any cloud computing experience to logging into their own cloud instance before lunch on the first day. Topics include launching cloud instances, storage & security in the cloud, public data sets, bioinformatics tools, and lectures covering current applications and the future of bioinformatics on the cloud. Seats for the course are limited to ensure optimum personalized attention. Register now, or contact us for more information at ucdbio@gmail.com.

The full schedule for the 2011 Bioinformatics Short Course is now live. Register now and join us for bioinformatics lectures and hands-on presentations covering topics such as next-generation sequencing, quality assessment, statistical analysis of bioinformatics data, sequencing platforms and applications, and more. Speakers from 454 Technologies, Illumina, Ion Torrent, Pacific Biosciences, and the UC Davis Genome Center will be on-hand to present their latest technologies and share their knowledge and practices.