ADVANCED SEQUENCING
TECHNOLOGIES & APPLICATIONS
October 18 - 30, 2012
Application Deadline: July 15, 2012

Instructors:
Elaine Mardis, Washington University School of Medicine
Gabor Marth, Boston College
W. Richard McCombie, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Aaron Quinlan, University of Virginia
Michael Zody, The Broad Institute

Over the last decade, large scale DNA sequencing has markedly impacted the practice of modern biology and is beginning to effect the practice of medicine. With the recent introduction of several advanced sequencing technologies, costs and timelines have been reduced by orders of magnitude, facilitating investigators to conceptualize and perform sequencing-based projects that heretofore were prohibitive. Furthermore, the application of these technologies to answer questions previously not experimentally approachable is broadening their impact and application.

This intensive 2 week course will explore applications of next generation sequencing technologies, with a focus on commercially available methods. Students will be instructed in the detailed operation of several revolutionary sequencing platforms, including sample preparation procedures, general data handling through pipelines, and in-depth data analysis. A diverse range of biological questions will be explored including DNA re-sequencing of human genomic regions (using cancer samples as a test case), de novo DNA sequencing of bacterial genomes, and the use of these technologies in studying small RNAs, among others. Guest lecturers will highlight their own applications of these revolutionary technologies.

We encourage applicants from a diversity of scientific backgrounds including molecular evolution, development, neuroscience, cancer, plant biology and microbiology.

Speakers in 2011 included:
Marc Fiume, University of Toronto
Ira Hall, University of Virginia
Gregory Hannon, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Jim Hicks, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Iain MacCallum, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Anton Nekrutenko, Penn State University
James Robinson, Broad Institute
Michael Schatz, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Mark Yandell, University of Utah

We anticipate the 2012 will be supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute, Illumina & Life Technologies and with major equipment provided by Illumina & Life Technologies