Proficient Lab, Theory & Hands-on Training

Description

Custom / Scheduled Hand-on Training
It is very common nowadays for scientists, lab technologists and postgraduate students to attend workshops to upgrade necessary skills for their research. Most training programs offered in the market generally lean to introduction to a particular field of knowledge. However not many of these training programs emphasize on practical skills and knowledge in the subject areas.
At Proficientlab, we emphasize on training programs that impart practical skills used in the subject area. Our instructors are scientists and they emphasize on the quality of content delivery and hands on experience in our workshops. Our structured yet comprehensible lectures coupled with exploratory hands on laboratory sessions ensures participants active involvement and a steep learning curve experience. These skills and training modules are also on par with data analysis commonly found in high impact journals in the subject areas and is also suitable for day to day operation such as diagnostics in clinical settings.

Our molecular biology and bioinformatic workshops includes but not restricted to the following list:
A. Food and water borne pathogen detection using molecular biology techniques
This is an introductory yet extensive program that focuses on PCR and qPCR techniques of pathogen detection in food, water and clinical samples. The course covers introductory to applications of molecular biology techniques in pathogen detection in a 14 day (98 hours) workshop. The introductory session includes sampling methods, DNA and RNA extraction, PCR and qPCR technology including probe design principles. The applications section will focus on how PCR and qPCR technology is used for disease detection including commonly reported pathogens of clinical importance. The workshop consist of 42 hours of lecture, 42 hours hands-on of laboratory sessions and 14 hours of class and lab discussion. Syllabus outline for this extensive course can be obtained from our sales representative. * Participants are required to bring their own laptops for the hands on bioinformatics session
B. Principles of PCR and qPCR primer design
This is a comprehensive workshop catered to train bioinformaticians on PCR and qPCR primer design for a wide range of applications from diagnostics and R&D. The outlined syllabus is comprehensive and is suitable for entry level biologists but depth enough for bioinformaticians who want to expand thier skills in emerging technologies such as utilization of NGS data for primer design. Lecture notes and step by step training modules will be provided in this workshop.
Syllabus outline: i) Principles of primer design + Hands on bioinformatics session ii) Concepts in qPCR primer design + Hands on bioinformatics session iii) Microsatellite primer design using next generation sequencing + Hands on bioinformatics session iv) Others (addition of restriction sites, multiplex PCR primer design, Universal primer design, M13 tailed primer design) + Hands on bioinformatics session v) Q&A session * Participants are required to bring their own laptops for the hands on bioinformatics session

C. Phylogenetics and tree building methods workshop

This is a comprehensive training program aimed at enabling participants to understand the theoretical work flow of generating phylogenetic trees. This intensive program enables bioinformaticians, molecular biologist, taxonomists, microbiologists and postgraduate students. Practical applications may range from species identification, determining operating taxonomic units (OTUs) and species boundaries, evolutionary studies, biogeography and phylogeography etc. Our workshop materials include lecture notes, DNA sequences for dry lab sessions and open source programs used in the class. Below are the topics that will be covered in the workshop.

1) Experimental design Single or multiple genes Protein or non-protein coding genes Nuclear or organelle (Ribosomal, chloroplast or mitochondrial) Resolution of genes

2) Data considerations File format: Nexus, Phylip, Fasta BLAST Chromatogram

3) Data preparation Multiple alignment Concatenation or combining alignments quality check including stop codons Saturation problems DAMBE Parsimony sites, Conserved regions, autoapomorphic sites

4) Phylogenetic analysis Neighbour-Joining tree Maximum Parsimony Maximum Likelihood Minimum Evolution Bayesian Analysis

5) Phylogenetic confidence/branch support Bootstrapping Bayesian posterior probability Outgroup choosing
* Participants are required to bring their own laptops for the hands on bioinformatics session

* Crowd of 20 participants for theory & at most 10 participants per session of hands-on (split into 2 groups). Choose either A, B or C program; The fee charged is for total of 20 participants and if there are lesser participants the cost will be equally divided. The training can be done on customer site or at a site chosen by us and a minimal lab rental will be charged depending on the lab site provider.  *meals and accommodations are not provided but can be arranged with early notice.