Introduction to Bio-Linux 8

Alongside MMEG, we are offering a one-day training course “Introduction to Bio-Linux 8” on Wednesday 16th December 2015.

  • Venue: the course will be held at Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
  • Number of places on the course: 25
  • Registration deadline: 27th November 2015
  • Registration fee: £20

  • Book a place

Bio-Linux 8 is developed and supported within the Environmental Omics Synthesis Centre and receives support from CEH National Capability and NERC NBAF funding (http://environmentalomics.org/bio-linux/). It is a powerful bioinformatics workstation platform that can be installed on anything from a laptop to a large server, and is suitable for novice or expert users handling NGS DNA reads or other biomolecular data. The system incorporates around 200 bioinformatics packages on an Ubuntu Linux base and free for all to download and use.

This 1-day course, taught by Bio-Linux developer Tim Booth and NBAF-W Lead Bioinformatician Hyun Soon Gweon, is suitable for beginners to the Linux environment and will equip users to start making effective use of the Linux environment in general and Bio-Linux in particular. As we are following the annual MMEG meeting, this course will go into depth on the application of Bio-Linux to microbial community analysis.

Course content

Part 1 is an introduction to the Linux desktop and system, especially the command shell environment which is common to all Linux systems and essential for running many bioinformatics tasks and for basic automation of repetitive jobs.

Part 2 focusses on running bioinformatics programs on Bio-Linux and providing the information you need to make intelligent choices about the programs and interfaces you use to run your bioinformatics analyses. In particular there will be hands-on analysis with the QIIME toolkit.

For more info contact Shorok Mombrikotb, or for technical queries or enquiries related to course content or Bio-Linux, Tim Booth.

Schedule and practicalities

The course will run from 10:00 to 5:00 but the taught content will be over by 4:00pm.

You don't need to bring anything aside form your brain, but if you want to come with your own data or if you want to get help setting up Bio-Linux on your own laptop then please do bring it along.

Schedule tbc.

Logistics:

Silwood Park is located about 25 miles West of Central London, near the village of Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire. View details on getting to Silwood Park.

If you are traveling by public transport, aim to be at Sunningdale Station by 9:30. We will have a minibus pick everyone up from the station and drive them to Silwood Park (approximately 5 minutes). Alternatively, there is a taxi service at the station that will bring you to campus for approximately £5.

At the end of the course, we will drive everyone from Silwood Park into South Kensington, London, where you can find your own way to your hotel/accommodation.

PLEASE NOTE: there is no accommodation at Silwood Park and we will be driving everyone to London, so please arrange for accommodation in London for Wednesday night (16th December).