The high-throuput “omics” technologies are producing millions
of data that must be transformed into real biological information. This
phenomenon is also a main problem in Latin American countries where the access
to such experimental means is increasing and hence the needs of bioinformatics analysis
capabilities increase too. The topics of the course
have being selected since they represent main problems and challenges of today
bioinformatics.
The first topic was
selected since it is becoming necessary and even crutial to address the use of
heterogeneous omics data in a particular relevant problem like reconstructions
of regulatory networks. In doing that the student will see how to detect
transcription factors, to relate them to binding sites and its detection, and
finally will see how to address the reconstruction problem. The second topic
is a real scientific challenge worldwide and is a fact that several
metagenomics programs will be and are being developed in Latin America now. As
a second product, this course will also permit the students to understand the
main problems behind the sequencing process and assembly. The last topic is
related to the use of a less developed omics technology (at least in Latin
America). The metabolomics
analysis is being used more and more in biotechnological applications in
agriculture, health and aquiculture, and is starting to be the case of our
continent and countries of the South America. This course will be an
opportunity to show our PhD students the main bioinformatics tools to analyze
such experiments and the way these tools serve to applications. We look forward to seeing the latest developments in these areas.
There are few fellowships, travel support and living expenses, especially for Chilean and Latin-American students and postdocs. Qualifying individuals need to send a short letter of motivation, two recommendation letters and their curriculum vitae to the secretary of the course (bioinfo2012@dim.uchile.cl) before April 16, 2012.