Virtual course
Managing a bioinformatics core facility
This knowledge exchange workshop is an opportunity for managers of bioinformatics core facilities to learn from EMBL-EBI’s service teams, and from each other. These facilities play an essential role in enabling research in the molecular life sciences. The landscape is constantly evolving as new research tools emerge, as experiments become increasingly data intensive, and as their clients – experimental researchers – become more exposed to the power of data-driven biology.
This course will allow participants to share experiences, discuss challenges and solutions that they face, and plan ways to cope with the ever changing demands raised by the molecular life science field. It will include sessions to learn from data providers at EMBL-EBI, hear how others have tackled common problems, and work together to design core services.
Who is this course for?
This workshop is aimed at new and experienced managers of bioinformatics core facilities, or other facilities that support their users to analyse and interpret large biomolecular data sets. This course will not provide a platform for teaching hands-on bioinformatics analysis.
What will I learn?
Learning outcomes
After this course you should be able to:
- Identify the strengths and limitations of your core facility
- Apply a framework for designing new services (including training your users) or redesigning existing services
- Appreciate different cost models, their pros and cons, and how to apply them in the context of your core facility
- Advise your users on how to manage sensitive data and where to submit them
Course content
During this course you will learn about:
- The role of core bioinformatics facilities
- How to design and resource your service
- Introduction to project management
Meet the trainer | EMBL-EBI Training chats with Matthew Hartley of the BioImage Archive about his journey from trainee to trainer on our Managing a bioinformatics core facility course.
Trainers
George Bell
Whitehead Institute Cath Brooksbank
EMBL-EBI Sarah Butcher
EMBL-EBI Patricia Carvajal-López
EMBL-EBI Jonathan Dursi
researchcomputingteams.org Phil East
The Francis Crick Institute Robert Goldstone
The Francis Crick Institute Matthew Hartley
EMBL-EBI Nikiforos Karamanis
EMBL-EBI Brent Richter
Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals
EMBL-EBI
Programme
Further to the below, we will be holding a follow-up day for all participants of the course on Thursday 16 February 2023. All timings are in GMT.
Time
Subject
Trainer
Day one - Wednesday 23 November 2022
08:45 - 09:00
Virtual arrivals
09:00 - 09:30
Course introduction and introduction to EMBL-EBI
Cath Brooksbank
09:30 - 10:20
Brief introductions, participant challenges, and expectations
Cath Brooksbank and Matthew Hartley
10:20 - 10:40
Break
10:40 - 11:15
Flash talks
All participants
11:15 - 11:25
Break
11:25 - 12:25
Keynote lecture: The evolving role of bioinformatics core facilities
Sarah Butcher
12:25 - 13:25
Lunch break
13:25 - 14:30
Spectrum exercise
George Bell
14:30 - 14:40
Break
14:40 - 15:40
Core facilities community building with ISCB Bioinfo-core group
Brent Richter
Day two - Thursday 24 November 2022
08:45 - 09:00
Introduction to day two
09:00 - 09:45
The F words: Funding and finances
Sarah Butcher
09:45 - 10:00
Break
10:00 - 11:45
Resourcing your service: People and compute
Sarah Butcher
11:45 - 12:00
Break
12:00 - 13:20
Resourcing your service: Cost model exercise
Sarah Butcher
13:20 - 14:20
Lunch break
14:20 - 15:30
Resourcing your service: Short talk and grant-costing exercise
Sarah Butcher
15:30 - 16:30
Keynote lecture: fostering recognition and respect for core facilities at the Crick Institute
Phil East
Day three - Friday 25 November 2022
08:45 - 09:00
Introduction to day three
09:00 - 10:00
(re)Designing your service - part one - the design process
Nikiforos Karamanis
10:00 - 10:10
Break
10:10 - 11:40
(re)Designing your service - part two - understanding users
Nikiforos Karamanis
11:40 - 11:50
Break
11:50 - 12:50
Project management - approaches and tools
Jonathan Dursi
12:50 - 13:50
Lunch break
13:50 - 14:00
Group photo
14:00 - 15:00
Revisit challenges and expectations
Cath Brooksbank
15:00 - 15:30
Collaboration and networking session
Cath Brooksbank and Matthew Hartley
15:30 - 16:00
Workshop wrap up, feedback, and additional resources
Cath Brooksbank
Programme may be subject to changes before registration.
Please read our page on application advice before starting your application. In order to be considered for a place on this course, you must do the following:
- Complete the online application form.
- Ensure you add relevant information to the application form where you are asked to provide details on:
- scientific biography
- work history
- current research interests
- Upload a letter of support from your supervisor or a senior colleague detailing reasons why you should be selected for the course.
Please submit all documents during the application process by midnight on 28 September. Items marked * are in the application are mandatory. Incomplete registrations will not be processed.
All applicants will be informed of the status of their application (successful, waiting list, rejected) by 14 October. If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact Sophie Spencer.
Participant Flash Talks
All participants will be asked to give a short presentation about the services they provide as core facility managers and/or their research work as part of the course. These talks provide an opportunity to share their research with the other participants and provide a forum for discussion. Further details will be provided following registration.
Whitehead Institute
EMBL-EBI
EMBL-EBI
EMBL-EBI
researchcomputingteams.org
The Francis Crick Institute
The Francis Crick Institute
EMBL-EBI
EMBL-EBI
Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals
EMBL-EBI
Programme
Further to the below, we will be holding a follow-up day for all participants of the course on Thursday 16 February 2023. All timings are in GMT.
Time | Subject | Trainer | |
Day one - Wednesday 23 November 2022 |
|||
08:45 - 09:00 | Virtual arrivals | ||
09:00 - 09:30 | Course introduction and introduction to EMBL-EBI | Cath Brooksbank | |
09:30 - 10:20 | Brief introductions, participant challenges, and expectations | Cath Brooksbank and Matthew Hartley | |
10:20 - 10:40 | Break | ||
10:40 - 11:15 | Flash talks | All participants | |
11:15 - 11:25 | Break | ||
11:25 - 12:25 | Keynote lecture: The evolving role of bioinformatics core facilities | Sarah Butcher | |
12:25 - 13:25 | Lunch break | ||
13:25 - 14:30 | Spectrum exercise | George Bell | |
14:30 - 14:40 | Break | ||
14:40 - 15:40 | Core facilities community building with ISCB Bioinfo-core group | Brent Richter | |
Day two - Thursday 24 November 2022 |
|||
08:45 - 09:00 | Introduction to day two | ||
09:00 - 09:45 | The F words: Funding and finances | Sarah Butcher | |
09:45 - 10:00 | Break | ||
10:00 - 11:45 | Resourcing your service: People and compute | Sarah Butcher | |
11:45 - 12:00 | Break | ||
12:00 - 13:20 | Resourcing your service: Cost model exercise | Sarah Butcher | |
13:20 - 14:20 | Lunch break | ||
14:20 - 15:30 | Resourcing your service: Short talk and grant-costing exercise | Sarah Butcher | |
15:30 - 16:30 | Keynote lecture: fostering recognition and respect for core facilities at the Crick Institute | Phil East | |
Day three - Friday 25 November 2022 |
|||
08:45 - 09:00 | Introduction to day three | ||
09:00 - 10:00 |
(re)Designing your service - part one - the design process |
Nikiforos Karamanis | |
10:00 - 10:10 | Break | ||
10:10 - 11:40 | (re)Designing your service - part two - understanding users | Nikiforos Karamanis | |
11:40 - 11:50 | Break | ||
11:50 - 12:50 | Project management - approaches and tools | Jonathan Dursi | |
12:50 - 13:50 | Lunch break | ||
13:50 - 14:00 | Group photo | ||
14:00 - 15:00 | Revisit challenges and expectations | Cath Brooksbank | |
15:00 - 15:30 | Collaboration and networking session | Cath Brooksbank and Matthew Hartley | |
15:30 - 16:00 | Workshop wrap up, feedback, and additional resources | Cath Brooksbank |
Programme may be subject to changes before registration.
Please read our page on application advice before starting your application. In order to be considered for a place on this course, you must do the following:
- Complete the online application form.
- Ensure you add relevant information to the application form where you are asked to provide details on:
- scientific biography
- work history
- current research interests
- Upload a letter of support from your supervisor or a senior colleague detailing reasons why you should be selected for the course.
Please submit all documents during the application process by midnight on 28 September. Items marked * are in the application are mandatory. Incomplete registrations will not be processed.
All applicants will be informed of the status of their application (successful, waiting list, rejected) by 14 October. If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact Sophie Spencer.
Participant Flash Talks
All participants will be asked to give a short presentation about the services they provide as core facility managers and/or their research work as part of the course. These talks provide an opportunity to share their research with the other participants and provide a forum for discussion. Further details will be provided following registration.