Workshop on “Next Generation Sequencing technologies and informatics tools for studying marine biodiversity and adaptation”
Location:
IMBG – HCMR, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Workshop official site: https://sites.google.com/site/workshopimbg/
The ongoing developments and recent introduction of sequencing instruments (so-called ‘next generation’ or ‘massively parallel’) capable of producing millions of DNA reads in a single run is rapidly changing the landscape of genomics providing the ability to address questions with heretofore unimaginably high-speed and fundamentally altering the nature of genetic experimentation. The accumulation of high quality reference genome sequences for different species provides an unparalleled opportunity to study genetic variation by comparative approaches on an unprecedented scale. At the same time, the transfer and adaptation of new technologies constitute a vital part of any aspect of biodiversity research offering a unique opportunity to get better insights into marine genetic biodiversity and to study adaptive genetic variation and mechanisms that allow organisms to adapt to new environments (e.g. climatic changes, invasions, new pathogens).
This workshop is meant to be an introduction to key concepts and novel tools in state-of the-art high-throughput DNA sequencing and genotyping techniques, to provide a comprehensive overview of available bioinformatics tools for analyzing whole genomes, discovering molecular markers, genes and annotation, to emphasize the advantages and caveats of new approaches for studying genetic biodiversity, and to integrate into population and conservation genomics, phylogenomics and adaptation.
It is meant to facilitate transfer of knowledge at the regional, national and international levels by increasing visibility and attracting graduate students and young researchers. The setting of IMBG-HCMR in the middle of the largely unexplored Eastern Mediterranean, which constitutes one of the world’s hot spot of ecosystem and organismal diversity, highlights the actual level of research interest and challenges, and pinpoints to the need of developing a strong research node and local effective network within the international genomics web.
The Workshop will consist of a series of lectures and computer laboratories that cover various aspects of marine biodiversity and adaptation. Invited speakers are chosen based on their effectiveness in teaching theory and practice in molecular diversity, genomics, phylogenomics, and adaptation. Included among the faculty are developers and other experts in the use of computer programs and packages for the analysis of high-throughput data.
The workshop will give participants the opportunity to interact by exchanging ideas, presenting their work and future perspectives and discussing at Round Tables while co-operation among the different institutions will be promoted.
The organising committee:
Antonis Magoulas (magoulas@hcmr.gr)
Giorgos Kotoulas (kotoulas@hcmr.gr)
Panagiotis Kasapidis (kasapidi@hcmr.gr)
Cilia Antoniou (antoniou@hcmr.gr)
Anastasis Oulas (oulas@hcmr.gr)
Hooman Moghadam (moghadamhooman@gmail.com)
