[RCAC Workshops] - 2 Day Genome Assembly & Annotation Workshop - February 19 & 20
The Genome Assembly & Annotation Workshop is an intensive, hands-on training designed to take researchers through the end-to-end process of genome assembly, gene prediction, and functional annotation. This two-day in-person workshop provides a structured approach to assembling genomes from long-read sequencing data (PacBio, ONT) and annotating gene models using state-of-the-art computational tools.
On Day 1, participants will focus on genome assembly, covering basic UNIX, assembly using PacBio HiFi data, assembly using Oxford Nanopore data, as well as hybrid assembly using both data types. The session will include quality control, assembly evaluation (using BUSCO, QUAST, Merqury), and best practices for handling complex genomes.
On Day 2, the workshop shifts to gene prediction and functional annotation, where attendees will learn to use BRAKER (ab initio), Helixer (deep learning-based), and Easel (evidence-based) for gene prediction. The functional annotation session will introduce EnTAP for annotating genes with GO terms, KEGG pathways, and orthologous functions. The workshop concludes with visualizing annotations in IGV, integrating RNA-seq data to validate gene models.
This workshop is designed for researchers with little to moderate experience in genome assembly and annotation. No prior experience with the tools is required, but basic command-line proficiency is recommended.
Please register at this Registration Link