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Join this five-day hands-on workshop on metagenomic virus discovery, hosted by global experts in bioinformatics and virology. Gain practical skills in project design, pipeline development, and downstream analysis, including phylogenetics and virus evolution.

The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation is offering a five-day specialised hands on training workshop in metagenomic virus discovery. Experts from around the world will be coming together to offer training in effective project design, tailoring analysis pipelines for virus discovery and cutting edge down stream analysis methods.

About the training:

This programme offers lectures on core knowledge components of metagenomics and phylogenetics as well as hands-on practical skills in tailoring analysis pipelines and downstream analysis for high impact results. Participants will benefit from:

• Effective project planning and experimental design
• Hands on command line skills for building efficient analysis pipelines
• Downstream analysis skills (e.g. phylogenetics, structural analysis)
• Interpretation and presentation of results (e.g. Virus evolution, genomic epidemiology)

Registration cost:

$750USD (includes meals during training and two networking events)

Funding and Support:

The workshop is supported by the World Bank. Selected applicants coming from low and middle income countries will have the following fully covered:

• Airfare and local ground transport
• Accommodation
• Registration

Who can apply:

The course is tailored to those with some level of bioinformatics and command line experience as well as at least some knowledge of virology. While the course is not specifically tailored to any one application of virus discovery, content will include examples of animal infecting viruses and the example dataset used for hands-on tutorials will be of mammalian origin. Eligible profiles include:

• Postgraduate students
• Post-doctoral researchers and research fellows
• Scientists and senior scientists

Important dates:

• Training dates: 17-21 November 2025
• Application deadline: 31 July 2025

How to apply:

Apply via the online form https://tiny.cc/jkon001

Enquiries:

Dr Erin Harvey
mvdworkshop2025@gmail.com

Speakers and teachers:

Keynote:

Professor Erik Karlsson
Head of Virology Unit Institut Pasteur Cambodia

Professor Tulio de Olivera
Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, South Africa

Teachers:

Associate Prof. Dr Krispin Hakjowitz MD
University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Australia

Mangs Postdoc

Dr Eduan Wilkinson
CERI, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Dr Carla Mavian
CERI, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Dr Spyros Lytras
University of Tokyo, Japan

Dr Callum LeLay
Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO, Australia

Dr Erin Harvey
Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Germany

Dr Monika Moir
CERI, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

News date: 2025-06-18

Links:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0BVEI3yVXqZ97_GHDq-0KZxMZtPdMU63n-huPqZV8q_vd1w/viewform