C. elegans: from genome editing to imaging

Overview
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Course overview

C. elegans is a popular experimental model that combines transparency, reproducible anatomy, traceable cell lineage, sequenced genome and facile genetics, allowing to dissect animal development, physiology, and behaviour across scales of genes, cells and tissues. This 7-day course will present experimental practices in C. elegans research, while introducing historic and up-to-date findings in various research topics.
Each day includes lectures, practicals, students flash-talks and interactive discussions with faculty. A series of methodologies commonly employed in C. elegans research will be presented in parallel practicals with rotating student groups by relevant experts. These experimental techniques span animal maintenance, handling, forward and reverse genetics, genome editing, imaging approaches for live and fixed samples, computational image analysis and other useful web resources. Meanwhile, lectures by internationally established researchers will present a variety of C. elegans research topics, spanning studies of the genome and epigenome, through cell cycle and death, to tissue specification, connectivity and function. A combination of senior and junior speakers will ensure a balanced view of pioneer breakthroughs and recent advances in the topics presented as well as the students’ interactions with researchers of different topics and career levels.

Audience

This practical course will be aimed at early career scientists, mostly postdocs and advanced graduate students with an interest in C. elegans. We will target both, participants with no prior experience in working with C. elegans who want to use this model organism to advance their research, as well as experienced C. elegans researchers who want to expand their tool set. The course will cover state-of-the-art techniques that are – or will become – essential for a broad range of research topics and we will therefore target participants with diverse research interests.

Modules/resources

The course lectures and practical modules develop in three axes of genes, cells, tissues. It will cover the following modules:

Lectures:

Genome and epigenome: structure, function, silencing, environment interactions
Cell cycle, division, symmetry breaking, cell biomechanics
Cell death and degeneration in development, aging (and genome instability) in disease
Tissue specification, transcriptome dynamics, morphogenesis
Tissue morphogenesis, cell lineage tracing and forces
Tissue assembly, connectivity, activity, cell interactions

Practicals:

Web resources for C.elegans research
C. elegans handling and genetic manipulations
Imaging (fixed/live) cells and molecules
Advanced analysis of live images, optogenetics, tracing approaches

Learning outcomes

After this course you should know:

The advantages of C. elegans for your research
Handling and maintenance of C. elegans
Staging and C. elegans life cycle
Designing and performing forward and reverse genetics experiments
Principles of generating transgenic animals
The potential of C. elegans imaging – from live imaging to high resolution imaging, optogenetics and cell tracing
Options for analysis of live images, optogenetics, cell tracing
Major topics of C. elegans research, historic and recent breakthrough concepts

What past participants say about the course

“The c.elegans from genome editing to imaging is one of the best C.elegans practical courses and I would strongly recommend C.elegans researchers in their early careers to attend this course.” – Somarani Dash, Institute of advanced study in science and technology, Guwahati, Assam, India.

“This course far exceeded my expectations: it was the perfect mixture of theory, hands-onexperiments and networking. An incredible opportunity not only to learn but also to meet peoplefrom all over the world. ” – Antonella Lavatellai, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, Spain.

The course has a recommendation rate of 100% from previous attendees.

Please see EMBL’s COVID-19 safety recommendations for testing and other requirements to attend this on-site course.

Sponsors

Sponsorship opportunities

We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other events, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information.

If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event, please visit our media partnerships webpage.

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Media kit

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