Chromatin Structure and Function

This popular laboratory- and computer-based course provides training in experimental and computational approaches that can be used to mechanistically dissect important aspects of chromatin biology at the gene and genome-wide levels.

Our understanding of eukaryotic genomes has benefitted tremendously from whole genome sequencing projects. However, we are only beginning to systematically understand how the interplay of DNA, proteins and its biochemical modifications (i.e., chromatin) can influence global processes which control gene expression, mRNA splicing, and DNA replication or repair in normal development and in disease.

The course is aimed at PhD students, post-doctoral scientists or clinicians/healthcare professionals engaged in relevant research.

What will you learn?
After attending the course, participants can expect to be able to:

• Perform chromatin immunoprecipitation, ATAC, 3C and Capture C, and MethylCapture techniques, including experimental design, end-point analysis and validation (qPCR; FISH)
• Understand the methods used in the preparation of material for next generation sequencing (NGS)
• Perform end-to-end analysis of NGS data, derived from the above methods, from raw sequence through to identifying relevant loci.
• Download and install relevant software and manage large datasets.
• Understand how polymer physics can be used to build models of chromatin structures

Participants will receive intensive wet laboratory and computational training focussed across five broad themes using a variety of
state-of-the-art methods, including:

• DNA/transcription factor interactions and histone modifications
  Methods: Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)
• DNA methylation
  Methods: methylation capture (MethylCapture)
• Chromatin accessibility
  Methods: Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin (ATAC)
• Chromatin looping and nuclear organisation
  Methods: Chromosome conformation capture (3C), Capture-C, and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH)
• Computational analysis/integration of chromatin datasets
  Methods: basic programming in Unix, sequence alignments, data visualisation tools, ChiP-seq analysis, MethylCapture-seq analysis, 3C-seq analysis

These sessions will be supplemented with informal tutorials and lectures from the instructors and distinguished invited speakers. Participants will analyse various genome-wide datasets to complement the wet laboratory sessions. They will also have an opportunity to discuss their own research interests and present aspects of their work that are relevant to the course.

Course Instructors
David Vetrie University of Glasgow, UK
Nick Gilbert University of Edinburgh, UK
Paul Guilhamon Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada
Robert Andrews Cardiff University, UK

Guest Speakers
Michaela Frye Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, UK
Rob Klose Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, UK
Ana Pombo Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany
Daniel Rico Rodriguez Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, UK
Paola Scaffidi Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, UK

Prerequisites

Applicants should be PhD students, post-doctoral scientists or clinicians engaged in relevant research.

Applications

Applications can be submitted online. Places are limited and will be awarded on merit. If you have any problems with the online application process, please contact us.

Please note: Applications must be supported by a recommendation from a scientific or clinical sponsor (e.g. supervisor, line manager, or head of department). A request for a supporting statement will be sent to your nominated sponsor automatically during the application process. Applicants must ensure that their sponsor provides this supporting statement by the application deadline.
Applications without a supporting statement cannot be considered.

Deadline for applications: 27 July 2018

Travel visas

Please contact the event organiser if you require a letter to support a travel visa application to the UK. Note that letters will only be provided to confirmed attendees. Non-European Economic Area or Swiss nationals may be required to have a visa to enter the UK.
Early application is strongly advised, as this process can take 6-8 weeks or longer.

Please visit the following websites for further information:
UK Border Agency website and information for general visitors and businessvisitors.

*The course fee is subsidised and applies to non-commercial applicants.
Please contact us for the commercial fee.

Bursaries

Advanced Courses are subsidised for non-commercial applicants from anywhere in the world. Additional, limited bursaries are available (up to a 50% reduction of the course fee) and are awarded on merit. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the bursary section of the online application form.

Please note that both the applicant and sponsor are required to provide a justification for the bursary as part of the application.

Additional funding opportunities
Visit our support page for additional financial support currently available.

Bursary terms and conditions

UK Courses (held at the Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge)
A limited number of bursaries are available for each course. These are awarded by the selection committee according to merit. The bursary covers a maximum of 50% of the course fee, though in exceptional circumstances an application for the total course fee may be considered. Where there are many bursary applications, the selection committee may issue smaller amounts. We cannot assist with travel costs to attend UK courses.

Feedback from the 2017 Course:

“In 10 days, i feel as though i have gained 3 years worth of technical knowledge. I also feel 3 years older… Please continue to run this
course.”

“In regards to content, I felt the course was exactly as advertised and even exceeded my expectations. Much of this has to do with high level of expertise possessed by the instructors and assistants involved in teaching the labs and bioinformatics practicals.”

“It was the most instructive course I had so far in molecular biology. Details about experiments are rarely discussed such in details, it was very useful for me and it will benefit all my lab.”

“I would like to applaud the excellent organization and great group of Instructors of this training course, for all your efforts! I will
certainly recommend the course to everyone working in the epigenetic field. The training Course was very useful and effective for me. I
learned a lot and met new good people…! Thanks again.”

“Thanks a lot! Amazing course and great instructors.”