Malaria Experimental Genetics

9-15 February 2014

Wellcome Trust Genome Campus , Hinxton, Cambridge

Application deadline: 18 October 2013

Course summary

This laboratory-based advanced course will give participants a working knowledge of and practical experience in cutting edge Plasmodium experimental genetics techniques, from designing gene targeting vectors and creating transgenic parasites to phenotyping the strains that result. The goal is to facilitate the participants’ own research careers by exposing them to state-of-the-art experimental approaches, while discussing the advantages and limitations of each approach.

The week-long practical course will cover experimental approaches to both the human parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) and the rodent parasite (Plasmodium berghei). The practical work will include several novel technological approaches, including production of gene targeting constructs using recombineering, which eliminates the need for PCR and restriction enzyme based ligation, and advanced molecular phenotyping approaches including next generation RNA sequencing and comparative mass spectrometry. The laboratory-based programme will be complemented by specific lectures in topical areas as well as a panel of distinguished guest speakers, who will present the latest research in the field.

Bursaries are available to attend this course. See below for details.

Programme

The overall strategy will be to follow a Plasmodium experimental genetics experiment from conception to completion, and will cover work with both P.berghei and P.falciparum. Topics to be covered will include:

Gene targeting vector construction

recombineering-based approaches to vector construction
consideration of the relative merits of different conditional expression approaches.

Transfection and genotyping

mechanics of transfection in both P. berghei and P. falciparum
verification of targeting using PCR and PFGE.

Molecular phenotyping

imaging approaches
comparative mass spectrometry
application of next generation sequencing to transcriptional profiling
flow cytometry-based phenotyping platforms.

Course instructors

Oliver Billker (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK)
Julian Rayner (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK)

2013 Guest speakers (2014 speakers TBA shortly)

David Fidock (Columbia University, USA)
Markus Meissner (University of Glasgow, UK)
Mike Blackman (MRC National Institute for Medical Research, UK)
John Adams (University of South Florida, Tampa, USA)
Chris Janse, Blandine Franke-Fayard (LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands)

Feedback from the 2013 course

“This was a great course, very well organized and full of useful material, I will definitely recommend to others”

“It is a great opportunity, unique. I am extremely grateful to Wellcome by have been able to participate”

“I am certain that the knowledge that I gained in this course will aid me in progressing my research.”

“I think the course was absolutely wonderful and I learnt a lot. All the organisers were awesome.”

How to apply

Prerequisites
Applicants should be postdoctoral scientists, PhD students or clinician scientists engaged in, or soon to commence, relevant research.

Cost
The course tuition fees are subsidised by The Wellcome Trust for scientists based in non-commercial institutions anywhere in the world. This is a residential course and there is a fee of £750 towards board and lodging for non-commercial applicants. The fee for commercial applicants is £3550.

Bursaries
Bursaries are available for non-commercial applicants to cover up to 100% of the course fee. Funding is also available to assist with travel costs. Please note that bursaries are limited and will be awarded on merit. The Wellcome Trust gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the European Virtual Institute of Malaria Research ( EVIMalaR).

Applications
Application forms for this course can now be completed online. Please click here to be redirected to the application portal. If you have any problems with the online application process, please email us.

Please note: Applications must be supported by a recommendation from a scientific sponsor. This can be your supervisor 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

Deadlines
Application deadline: 18 October 2013.

Supported by:

European Virtual Institute of Malaria Research ( EVIMalaR)