Virus Discovery in the Clinical Setting

13-18 May 2012

Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge

Now closed for applications. To be kept updated on dates for future courses, please email us.

Course summary

This unique, laboratory-based training course focuses on how to investigate an evolving outbreak of an infectious disease. Theoretical and practical sessions are integrated around a theme of using modern laboratory and epidemiological methods to identify the source of an outbreak. There will be daily morning update sessions analysing the results from the previous day and exploring the next steps in both investigating the cause and managing the clinical situation.

It will provide training for specialty trainees in virology, medical microbiology and infectious diseases, veterinary sciences and health care scientists in the application of current molecular and serological techniques in identifying and characterising a novel virus in a clinical setting.

PLEASE NOTE: an application for CPD accreditation for this course will be submitted to the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science.

Programme

• Identification of emerging infectious agents – pathogen discovery
• Virus isolation, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy
• Nucleic acid extraction, real-time PCR assays and primer and probe design
• PCR product identification and cloning
• Sequencing and bioinformatics
• Practical aspects of proteomics
• Practical aspects of ELISA design
• Theoretical aspects of microarrays
• Epidemiological and public health investigations in an outbreak situation

Course organisers

• Dr Kevin Brown (Health Protection Agency)
• Dr Mark Zuckerman (Health Protection Agency and King’s College Hospital)

Guest speakers

• Dr David Brown (Virus Reference Department, Health Protection Agency)
• Dr Mary Ramsay (Immunisation Division, Health Protection Agency)
• Dr Richard Madeley (Professor of Clinical Virology, Newcastle University [now retired])
• Professor Haroun Shah (Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency)

Feedback from previous courses

"Excellent organisation and teaching facilities. Laboratory staff very helpful and accommodating. Accommodation very comfortable and clean. Catering and meals wonderful! Course instructors always very willing to answer questions and very helpful. Very nice informal atmosphere."

"Many thanks to all the organisers and speakers. I thoroughly enjoyed the week and will go back with many new ideas - just need to get some funding for them now!!"

"Overall excellent and well organised course and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended for my colleagues."

How to apply

Prerequisites
Applicants should be specialty trainees in virology, medical microbiology and infectious diseases, veterinary sciences and health care scientists.

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, without exception, and there is a fee of £675 towards board and lodging for non-commercial applicants. The fee for commercial (non-academic) applicants is £3200.

Bursaries
Limited bursaries are available for non-commercial applicants (50 per cent of fee) and are subject to open competition. Please see our bursaries page for application information and terms and conditions.

Applications
Applicants must complete an application form containing a detailed outline of the relevance of the course to their clinical work. Please note that documentation supporting their application will be required from the applicant's supervisor/head of department.

To submit an application, please either:

• email for an application form to advancedcourses@hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk
• download the application form [Word 116KB] and our terms and conditions [Word 28KB].

Applications can be accepted by post or email. Sponsors' supporting letters must be returned, signed, by email, fax or post. Please note: incomplete applications will be rejected.

Applications and letters of support can be sent to:

Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses
Wellcome Trust Genome Campus
Hinxton
Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA
UK

F +44 (0) 1223 495130
E advancedcourses@hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk