Wellcome Genome Campus Courses

Bacterial Genomes II: Accessing and Analysing Microbial Genome Data Using Artemis

4.9

Use computational tools to investigate microbial genomesApplying increasingly powerful computation to genomics contributes to important medical breakthroughs.On this course, you will discover the basic principles of microbial bioinformatics analysis, and comparative genomics. Using Artemis, a free genome browser, you will find out how to investigate whole bacterial genomes, and through the analysis of bacterial genes and proteins, you will explore the genomic features of pathogens.By the end of this course, you will be able to use genomic data to increase your knowledge of microbial genomes.This course would benefit those interested in learning how to use tools to investigate bacterial genomes, and acquire bioinformatics skills to evaluate the role of microbial genes in disease. Using analytical tools to access and probe genomes, learners will find out how to perform comparative analyses of genes and their protein products.The course will be of interest to undergraduates, post-graduates, researchers, bioinformaticians, microbiologists, and healthcare professionals.The opportunity to use online computational tools to probe bacterial genomes will also be of interest to teachers and their 16-18-year-old science and computing students.Bacterial Genomes: From DNA to Protein Function using Bioinformatics is a recommended pre-requisite.Scientific terminology is explained.This course will give you an opportunity to learn about and use Artemis, a free genome browser and annotation tool. To run this software effectively, you will require a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) with 2GB RAM. The current version of Artemis requires version 1.11 of Java to run successfully. Java can be downloaded from this link.

Bacterial Genomes: Disease Outbreaks and Antimicrobial Resistance

5

The increase in resistance of harmful bacteria to antibiotics is a major global threat to health. Here we explore bacterial genomes and the use of genome sequencing to identify and track these drug resistant bacteria.Join us to discover how genome research is helping scientists and healthcare professionals track disease outbreaks and prevent the rise of antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’.This course will be of interest to scientists, healthcare professionals, biomedical researchers and bioinformaticians.The course offers all learners an opportunity to learn about genomes, disease, and antimicrobial resistance.You require no previous knowledge of genome science to complete the course.

Train the Trainer: Design Genomics and Bioinformatics Training

0

Explore techniques for genomics training.Genomics and bioinformatics is a growing area of research with important practical implications for sectors as diverse as healthcare, food production, and environmental research.On this course, you’ll learn how to train students, peers, professionals, and future experts in genomic techniques, and come away able to plan and design engaging lessons for adult learners.Explore adult learning theory and principlesAlongside expert genomics educators, you’ll discuss adult learning theory, and discover how an active, learner-centred approach can guide good course design.You’ll be equipped with general good practice teaching techniques, as well as the educational methods commonly used to teach laboratory workflows and bioinformatics in genomics.Build and develop your training skillsThe course will show you how to create learning experiences from subject content, and the importance of communication, group work, and facilitation in teaching and training.You’ll identify common educational methods used to teach, and assess the bioinformatics and laboratory methods required for genomics.Learn practical genomics training skillsThe course will culminate in you making a peer-reviewed project, where you’ll design your own genomics training plan, and reflect on how you can receive feedback and improve as a trainer.You’ll come away able to confidently plan and design courses on how to generate and analyse genomic data.This course is for people who want to train students, peers, professionals, and future experts in genomics techniques. It will focus on practical skills for teaching adults as well as educational theory.Learners are assumed to have knowledge of laboratory or bioinformatics techniques relevant to genomics. No prior knowledge of teaching, training or educational theory is assumed. There are no formal prerequisites.

Bacterial Genomes: Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens

4.3

Explore the challenges of AMR and learn how experts work to address themAMR is a public health emergency. Global projections predict the loss of nearly 10 million lives and up to $100 trillion lost in global production by 2050. According to the United Nations and the WHO, AMR requires immediate international action.On this course, you will explore the historical and epidemiological aspects of antibiotics and AMR, and recognise its clinical significance.You will explore the role of genomics in tackling AMR from research, diagnostic and surveillance perspectives, as well as the principles and practice of AMR Quality Assurance.This course is designed for researchers and healthcare professionals interested in infectious diseases, epidemics and the problem of microbial resistance. It will help those with backgrounds in microbiology or bioinformatics to work together.No prior learning is required, but it is recommended learners with no previous knowledge of AMR take the introductory FutureLearn course, Bacterial Genomes: Disease Outbreaks and AMR.No previously installed software is required. You may be required to access websites to use bioinformatics tools.

Bacterial Genomes I: From DNA to Protein Function Using Bioinformatics

0

Join us in our quest to discover what makes microbes dangerous.Use bioinformatics to probe genomes, to explore and represent DNA and protein sequences.Then, use databases to find protein sequences’ conserved domains and investigate their functions.The course will be of interest to undergraduates, post-graduates, researchers, bioinformaticians, biomedical researchers, microbiologists, healthcare professionals and all those who are interested in learning about the underlying mechanisms of bacterial disease, DNA sequences and protein data, or how to use online analytical tools to probe genomes.The topics covered in this course are applicable to the genomes of all organisms. It is not essential to have previous knowledge or experience in bioinformatics. Scientific terminology is explained. The opportunity to use online computational tools in the context of bacterial genomes will also be of interest to teachers and their 16-18-year-old science and computing students.No specific software, hardware, or other resources are required.

Bioinformatics for Biologists: An Introduction to Linux, Bash Scripting, and R

0

Explore the full range of bioinformatics software through Linux command lineBioinformatics is a rapidly growing academic field, and one that promises to change how we analyse and compare biological data.On this course, you’ll get familiar with Linux – the operating system often used to access and analyse biological data. You’ll come away able to navigate it using the command line, understanding how to write scripts and prepare data files for further analysis and visualisation.Explore basic commands and file system in LinuxMuch bioinformatics software is available for use through Linux, via the command line, which many biologists are unfamiliar with.Alongside international team of bioinformaticians, you’ll learn what the main features of Linux are, and how it’s used in biology. You’ll be able to describe how a Linux file system is structured and learn how to use Linux commands to navigate the file system.Discover how to work with biological data filesYou’ll use Linux commands to manipulate biological data files, preparing them for export into other environments for further analysis. The course will introduce you to the basics of R language and RStudio software environment.You’ll also learn the basics of writing and executing simple Bash scripts in order to automate data processing.Learn from an international team of bioinformatics expertsThe Wellcome Genome Campus (WGC) is one of the globe’s leading bioinformatics centres, pioneering vital research into genome analysis.On this course, the educators from WGC Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences are joined by experts from the Institut Pasteur de Tunis, to give you practical training using real biological data in different biological scenarios. This will help you see how you can work with data in your own field of biology.This course will appeal to students, biologists, and research scientists with an interest in bioinformatics.Learners are expected to have some knowledge of or experience with life sciences, but no prior knowledge of computing or bioinformatics is expected. There are no formal prerequisites.Windows users might need to download and install a Unix emulation program. Linux and Mac users can run Unix commands natively in a terminal session. The course examples can also be run using a browser-based online emulator.For the best learning experience, learners should have a computer available to them, not just a handheld device.

The Power of Genomics to Understand the COVID-19 Pandemic

0

See how viral genomics can improve the response to COVID-19 and future pandemicsGenomics is crucial in understanding and responding to pandemics, including COVID-19.On this three-week course, you’ll learn key concepts in viral genomics, how they can be applied to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they can help us prepare for future pandemics.Explore genome sequencing and the SARS-CoV-2 genomeThe course starts with a review of how viruses cause diseases and pandemics, examining the factors that can lead to a public health emergency.You’ll also get a comprehensive introduction to the SARS-CoV-2 genome structure, and learn how genome sequencing is used in COVID-19 surveillance.Learn about COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics developmentOnce you’re comfortable with the basics of genome sequencing and the contributing factors of pandemics, you’ll move on to vaccines and therapeutics.You will have an overview of the development and production of COVID-19 vaccines and the available treatments of the disease, and you’ll gain further insights into the impact of viral variants.Understand why viral genomic surveillance is criticalYou’ll see how sharing genomic sequencing helps experts understand disease epidemiology, allowing them to give better advice and to be more prepared for the future.Ultimately, this course will show you how important genomics is for developing effective strategies, not only against the COVID-19 pandemic but, importantly, against pandemics in general.This course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the genomics response to the current pandemic. While no prior knowledge about COVID-19 is required, it is likely to be most useful to researchers, healthcare professionals, science journalists, policymakers, and those working in public health.

Bacterial Genomes III: Comparative Genomics using Artemis Comparison Tool (ACT)

0

Gain experience in using the Artemis Comparison Tool for comparative genomicsDisease outbreaks are still a big problem in our modern world. Comparison between two or more bacterial genomes can help improve understanding of the causes of pathogenicity and outbreaks of disease caused by bacteria.On this course you will learn how to use the free Artemis Comparison Tool (ACT).Developed at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, ACT will help you to visualise the comparison of genomes and analyse the results.This course would benefit those interested in learning how to use tools to investigate and research bacterial genomes, and acquire bioinformatics skills to evaluate the role of microbial genes in disease. Learners will gain experience in comparative genomics, using the Artemis Comparison Tool to probe, visualise and compare genomes, and analyse the results.This course will be of interest to anyone interested in microbiology, including undergraduates, post-graduates, biomedical researchers, microbiologists, bioinformaticians, teachers, and healthcare professionals.The opportunity to gain experience in using the Artemis Comparison Tool, a computational tool designed for comparative genomics, will also be of interest to all those who have studied our recommended pre-requisite courses: those with an interest in genomics and disease outbreaks, teachers and their 16-18-year-old science and computing students.Ideally, you will have completed Bacterial Genomes: From DNA to Protein Function Using Bioinformatics and Bacterial Genomes: Accessing and Analysing Microbial Genome Data before joining the course.This course will give you an opportunity to learn about and use Artemis Comparison Tool (ACT), a free tool used to display pairwise comparisons between two DNA sequences. To run this software effectively, you will require a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) with 2GB RAM. The current version of ACT requires version 11 of Java to run successfully. Java 11 can be downloaded from this link. Older versions of ACT require Java 8 to run successfully. Java 8 can be downloaded from this link.

What is Genetic Counselling?

5

Understand the role of genetic counselling in the genomic eraWho are genetic counsellors? Who has genetic counselling and what does a genetic counsellor do? On this course, you will find the answers to these questions whilst learning about the role of genetic counselling in healthcare in the genomic era.You will discover why people seek genetic counselling and how it compares in different contexts and countries. You will explore the main skills and knowledge genetic counsellors need, as well as their key responsibilities to patients. You will discuss the ethical issues of genetic counselling, and its opportunities and challenges for the future.This course is designed for healthcare professionals, clinicians, biomedical research scientists, and anyone curious about genetic counselling.Although not required, a basic knowledge of genetics, genetic testing technologies, and inheritance patterns would help support your learning on this course.“This introductory course provides an excellent overview of the practice of genetic counselling.We recommend the course as a useful resource for all Year 1 STP students on the MSc Genomic Counselling Programme at the University of Manchester.The course is also highly relevant to any clinician or scientist wanting to know more about the role of a genetic counsellor.The interactive style provides an opportunity to connect with course members and genetic counsellors around the world.” - Dr Rhona MacLeod, Consultant Genetic Counsellor, Pathway Lead MSc Genomic CounsellingNo specific software, hardware or other resources are required to completethe course.