Bioinformatics resources for exploring disease related data

This workshop will introduce students to EMBL-EBI, the databases and services it offers, and basic concepts in bioinformatics that will be of use to their disease related research work.

It will explain the role of the EBI in curating and sharing biological data with scientists around the world and introduce basics for locating relevant data and information of interest.

Sessions with trainers from Ensembl, ArrayExpress and the GWAS catalog will introduce practical skills in browsing genes and variation in a genomic context, in exploring SNP-trait associations and will show how further understanding can be gained on the location and level of gene expression across the body.

Please note that if you are not eligible for a University of Cambridge Raven account you will need to Book or register Interest by linking here.

• This workshop is aimed at students on the Rare Diseases and Experimental Medicine MPhil courses at the University of Cambridge. Students from the wider clinical sciences group are also able to attend subject to space being available.
• Graduate students, Postdocs and Staff members from the University of Cambridge, Affiliated Institutions and other external Institutions or individuals
• Further details regarding eligibility criteria are available here

Number of sessions: 1

After this course you should be able to:

• Use EBI Search to locate relevant data and information on genes and proteins of interest
• Explore the human genome and gene data using the Ensembl Genome Browser
• Access gene expression data and knowledge from Array Express & Expression Atlas
• Navigate the GWAS catalogue

During this course you will learn about:

• EMBL-EBI and the major databases and bioinformatics services
• Approaches to searching for and locating biological data
• Ensembl Genome Browser and variation resources
• Array Express and Expression Atlas
• GWAS catalogue

Presentations, demonstrations and practicals

• Free for University of Cambridge students
• £ 50/day for all University of Cambridge staff, including postdocs, and participants from Affiliated Institutions. Please note that these charges are recovered by us at the Institutional level
• £ 50/day for all other academic participants from external Institutions and charitable organizations. These charges must be paid at registration
• £ 100/day for all Industry participants. These charges must be paid at registration
• Further details regarding the charging policy are available here

1

A number of times per year