The ACGT, in collaboration with Inqaba biotec and UP’s IRT for Genomics, recently hosted two next-generation sequencing NGS data analysis workshops at the University of Pretoria from the 11th-14th March 2013. Participants attended from all five ACGT partner institutions, as well the Universities of Limpopo and the North West. An overwhelming response was received both nationally, and from various African countries. A rigorous screening process saw 40 of the most deserving and suitable candidates attend the workshop free of charge at the University of Pretoria. Due to the overwhelming demand, two additional training courses were hosted at the ARC (18th-21st March 2013) by Prof Jasper Rees and his team from the ARC Biotechnology Platform. In excess of 60 researchers participated in the training event at Onderstepoort.
Course presenter and field application specialist Dr Anne Arens from CLCbio headquarters in Denmark conducted the two day “hands-on” course. She was joined on the trip by Dr Reinhard Eckloff, Key Account Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa. The course covered various topics including de novo assembly, RNA-Seq and miRNA analysis, sequencing tools and microbial finishing modules.
Participant feedback indicated that the course was both highly beneficial and relevant to attendees.
The workshops presented the first in a series of bioinformatics training courses hosted by ACGT and its partners to address specific needs in bioinformatics skills training. For more information on upcoming bioinformatics training events, visit the events page on the ACGT website or like us on Facebook.
