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 life sciences. The landscape is constantly evolving as new research tools emerge, as experiments become increasingly data intensive, and as their users – 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 bioinformatics service providers, hear how others have tackled common problems, and work together to design core services, resource them, and measure their impact.

A limited number or travel bursaries are available. Please see the ‘Additional information’ tab for conditions.

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 the 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
• Identify existing strategies and approaches to demonstrate the performance and impact of a core facility, the principles impact pathway logic and impact framework design, and gain appreciation for the range of evidence of performance and impact

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
• Impact pathway logic in two stages: framework design and evidence of the various steps of the framework

Trainers

Please read our support page 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 ‘submission details’ section where you are asked to provide information on your:
  • pre-requisite skills and knowledge
  • current work and course expectations
  • data availability
• Upload one letter of support from your supervisor or a senior colleague detailing reasons why you should be selected for the course. 
  • If you are planning to apply for a travel bursary this letter must  include a justification for your request for financial support (see the ‘Travel bursaries’ section for terms and conditions).

Please submit all documents during the application process by 23:59 on Sunday 28 July 2024. Items marked * in the application are mandatory. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

All applicants will be informed of the status of their application (successful, waiting list, unsuccessful) by 12 August 2024. 

The registration fee of £325.00 includes:

• Catering as detailed on the course programme
• Accommodation for two nights (29 and 30 October)
• Bespoke course handbook with links to all course materials
• Use of a computer in the EMBL-EBI training suite throughout the course
• Shuttle bus on the final course day to Cambridge train station 

Accommodation 

Hotel rooms will be provided onsite at Hinxton Hall Conference Centre. Please contact them directly if you wish to arrange to stay additional nights around the course dates.

Catering

The course includes catering as detailed on the programme tab. Successful applicants will be asked for any dietary requirements and allergies upon registration. 

Course materials

The course materials from the 2023 edition of the course are now live and available for you to use. They provide a mixture of pre-recorded lectures, presentations, and practicals from the course, and will give you a snapshot of what to expect in the 2024 edition.

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.

Follow-up session

A follow-up session will follow after the end of this course. The exact date and time will be announced in due course.

Travel bursaries

There are a limited number of RItrainPlus travel bursaries available, here are the conditions and eligibility criteria:

1. Eligibility criteria (minimum one must be met)

• The participant is based in a EU13 or LMIC country
• The participant is from an early-stage Research Infrastructure or Core Facility and is lacking financial support

2. You may apply for a travel bursary when submitting your application. Please make sure that the ‘Letter of Support’ submitted with the course application includes a statement justifying your request for financial assistance.

3. If a travel bursary is awarded, a maximum of €500.00 will be reimbursed via one of the two below mechanisms:

• If your organisation is part of RItrainPlus consortium, please contact us to arrange budget transfer according to RItrainPlus procedures
• If your organisation is not part of RItrainPlus consortium, you or your organisation can apply for reimbursement after the event directly from ELIXIR/EMBL-EBI by completing a reimbursement claim form. This needs to be completed by the individual who travelled, not the institution. Receipts will need to be provided.

RItrainPlus project received funding from European Union's H2020 programme under grant agreement no.101008503