CRISPR Screening and Analysis 

Pooled and arrayed CRISPR screens have diverse clinical and research applications. Arrayed screening involves targeted gene editing for investigating specific gene function and biological pathways, whereas pooled screening enables a rapid high-throughput global approach to gene discovery.

Leveraging on the expertise of teams at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and resources within Open Targets, this course follows on from the 2024 CRISPR Cellular Generation and Modelling course and offers applicants an opportunity to explore the techniques, nuances, and applications of CRISPR screening. It is comprised of two parts and attendance is mandatory to complete the course:

1. A 5-day hands-on virtual component (28 July – 1 August 2025) covering genome informatics and computational design and analysis
2. A 5-day in-person component (21-26 September) with laboratory and informatics practicals and workshops focused on pooled and arrayed screening

Eighteen applicants will be selected to attend this course, with an additional eighteen spaces offered to applicants to attend only the virtual aspect.

What will this course cover?

The programme will be delivered as a combination of lectures, interactive tutorials, hands-on laboratory and computer practical sessions, workshops, and seminars focused on three therapeutic areas where pooled and arrayed screens are used, namely:

• Oncology
• Neurodegeneration
• Immunology

Additionally, for each component of the course, a group project will be completed to aid in achievement of the learning objectives.

The course content will be delivered in English.

Who is this course for?

Applicants should be postdoctoral scientists, advanced PhD students actively engaged in or soon to commence relevant research. It is also suitable for facility managers and principal investigators wishing to bring the latest genetic technologies into their facilities or groups.

More information will be added soon

The virtual part of the course will run from Monday 28 July to Friday 1 August 9am to 4pm British Summer Time (BST).

The in-person sessions will be held at the Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK. This is a residential course starting on Sunday 21 September and ending on Friday 26 September.

More information will be added soon.

Training team

Matthew Coelho
Wellcome Sanger Institute

Kalpana Surendranath
University of Westminster

Sunay Usluer
Wellcome Sanger Institute

Panos Zalmas
Open Targets Validation Lab

Jamie Billington
Wellcome Sanger Institute, United Kingdom

Cansu Dinser
Wellcome Sanger Institute, United Kingdom

Sandeep Sundara Rajan
Wellcome Sanger Institute, United Kingdom

Guest speakers

Alice Refermat 
Innovative Genomics Institute, United States of America

Prerequisites

Applicants are required to have cell culture experience, and ideally some experience in performing CRISPR experiments.

Please note that we will be accepting applications from participants from the 2024 course who wish to apply for this year’s offering.

How to Apply

1. Start the application
   • Click on the “Apply” button above to start your application. Please note that places are limited and will be awarded based on merit.
2. Demonstrate the course’s relevance to your project/role
   • Our courses are highly subscribed, so it is essential to clearly show how the skills you will learn in the course will be directly applicable and beneficial to your current role/project and how do you plan to disseminate the knowledge after the course.
   • Preference will be given to applicants who are currently working on related projects or soon will be.
   • Please ensure that your justification includes the following:
     • Your problem statement
     • What you would like to learn and how you will apply it
     • The expected impact of attending the course
3. Letter of recommendation
   
   • Applications must be supported by a recommendation from a scientific or clinical sponsor (e.g., supervisor, line manager, or head of department). Ensure that your sponsor provides a tailored supporting statement by the application deadline. This statement must be uploaded as a PDF document to the registration system within your application. Applications without a supporting statement will not be considered.
4. Need help?
   • If you encounter any problems with the online application process, please contact us at courses@wellcomeconnectingscience.org for assistance.

Application deadline: 3 June 2025

Travel visas
Citizens of many countries can travel to the UK to attend a course or conference without needing a visa. Please check the UK government website for visitor information: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor.

The Home Office and UK Government have recently announced the introduction of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) process which now applies to all visitors coming to the UK. If you are selected to attend it is your responsibility to secure the correct documentation to travel to the UK. You can find more information by following this link

Confirmed attendees requiring a letter to support a visa application should contact us at courses@wellcomeconnectingscience.org.

*The course fee is subsidised by Wellcome Connecting Science.

Reduced rates are available for those who do not require accommodation, please contact us for more information. Please be aware that the campus is based in a rural location and this option is only suitable for attendees who are already based locally and have access to private transport.

Contact us at courses@wellcomeconnectingscience.org for the commercial rate.

The fee will be requested once acceptance is confirmed.

Bursaries

Limited bursaries, covering up to 50% of the course fee, are awarded based on merit. To apply, complete the bursary section of the online application form, explaining why funding would benefit you.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome, along with their course placement, typically within a month of the application deadline.

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

Deadline: 3 June 2025

Additional funding opportunities
Visit our support page for additional financial support currently available and to read our most recent article on breaking down financial barriers.

Extra accommodation
If you wish to book onsite accommodation either side of the course dates, please contact Hinxton Hall Conference Centre directly.

Accommodation services phishing scam – please be vigilant. More information.

Feedback from 2024 course:

‘Whilst challenging, this is an excellent course, with well developed teaching/training materials and signposts to many available resources.’

‘I wasn’t aware of the versatility of CRISPR’

‘Very well thought through course with fantastic resources to refer back to. Feel much more confident in applying and troubleshooting CRISPR techniques. Also great to have contacts for further support.’