Bioinformatics Analysis for Conservation Genomics. 6.75 credits

Catalog description

This course, based at the SMSC campus in Front Royal, VA, provides a survey of the concepts, methods, and software used in conservation genomics research. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on computer tutorials, students learn the steps of a complete conservation genomics project, including project design, genome assembly and quality control, variant calling, and estimation of genome-wide diversity and historical demography. Students will use the Unix command line to access Smithsonian high-performance computing. Instructors include scientists with expertise in conservation biology, theory, and genomics software. Students learn how to design conservation genomics projects, how to choose which software packages best fit their data, how to use common software packages, and how to interpret the results. By the end of the course, students will be able to conduct sophisticated genomic analyses and critically evaluate current conservation genomics literature. Offered by Provost's Office . May not be repeated for credit.