Exploratory analysis of biological data: data carpentry

Time Berlin / Barcelona	Programme
10:45-11:00	In Heidelberg: Bus transfer from ISG Hotel
11:00-11:15	Welcome and house notes and course overview
11:15-12:30	Flashtalks
12:30-13:30	Lunch
13:30-14:15	Lecture: Data organization and cleaning
14:15-14:35	Coffee break
14:35-16:05	Lecture: Data organization and cleaning (continued)
16:05-16:20	Coffee break
16:20-17:50	Lecture: Data organization and cleaning (continued)
17:50-18:50	Social networking / Q&A
18:50-19:50	Dinner
20:00-20:15	In Heidelberg: Shuttle bus to ISG Hotel

Time Berlin / Barcelona	Programme
08:40 – 08:55	In Heidelberg: Bus from hotel to EMBL HD
09:00 – 11:00	Practical session: Versioning with Git (using RStudio)
11:00 – 11:30	Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30	Practical session: Versioning with Git (using RStudio)
12:30 – 13:30	Lunch break
13:30 – 15:00	Practical session: Introduction to R
15:00 – 15:30	Coffee break
15:30 – 16:50	Practical session: Introduction to R
16:50 – 17:10	Coffee break
17:10 – 18:30	Practical session: Introduction to R
18:30 – 19:30	Dinner
19:30 – 19:45	In Heidelberg: Shuttle bus to ISG Hotel

Time Berlin / Barcelona	Programme
08:40 – 08:55	In Heidelberg: Bus from hotel to EMBL ATC Entrance
09:00 – 11:00	Practical session: Data manipulation with dplyr
11:00 – 11:30	Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30	Practical session: Data manipulation with dplyr
12:30 – 13:30	Lunch break
13:30 – 15:00	Practical session: Data visualisation with ggplot2
15:00 – 15:30	Coffee break
15:30 – 16:50	Practical session: Data visualisation with ggplot2
16:50 – 17:10	Coffee break
17:10 – 18:30	Practical session: Data visualisation with ggplot2
18:30 – 19:30	Dinner
19:30 – 19:45	In Heidelberg: Shuttle bus to ISG Hotel

Time Berlin / Barcelona	Programme
08:40 – 08:55	In Heidelberg: Bus from hotel to EMBL
09:00 – 09:50	Lecture: Data visualisation with ggplot2
09:50 – 10:00	Short coffee break
10:00 – 10:50	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics
10:50 – 11:20	Coffee break
11:20 – 12:20	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics
12:20 – 13:20	Lunch break
13:20 – 14:50	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics
14:50 – 15:20	Coffee break
15:20 – 17:00	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics R
17:00 – 17:30	In Heidelberg: Shuttle bus to city centre
17:30 – 19:00	Free time
19:00 – 20:30	Dinner in the city centre

Time Berlin / Barcelona	Programme
08:40 – 08:55	In Heidelberg: Bus from hotel to EMBL
09:00 – 10:30	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics
10:30 – 11:00	Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00	Practical session: Data analysis with applications to genomics
12:00 – 13:00	Lunch break
13:00 – 14:00	Debrief and wrap-up
14:00 – 14:30	In Heidelberg: Shuttle bus to Heidelberg main train station

The course is limited to 15 participants in each hub (Heidelberg and Barcelona). For selection purposes, please note that your application will not be considered without a letter of motivation.

Registration fees include admission, course materials, meals and coffee breaks. Participants are expected to book and pay their own accommodation and travel expenses. 

Academia	€450
PhD Student	€450
Industry	€775

A letter to support your visa application will be issued, on request, once payment of the registration fee is confirmed. We recommend that you book your visa appointment as soon as possible, to avoid any delay with your visa application.

Confirmation and payment

The registration fee should be paid only after acceptance to the course. The results will be announced approximately 2-3 weeks after the application deadline.

Motivation letter submission

After you have logged in and successfully registered, you will receive an email asking you to submit your motivation letter. Click on the link provided and enter your motivation letter in the text box provided. Alternatively you can submit your motivation letter by clicking on the link on the confirmation page directly after registering.

Instructions

1. Include your relevant skills, experience and qualifications showing why you would be suitable for the course when answering the questions.
2. Explain why you would like to attend, including what you can contribute and how you think you will benefit from the course.

There are 26 additional questions that I required to answer before submitting the motivation letter.

Please note:

• The limit of 2000 characters refers to manually typed text and excludes spaces. If an error occurs try using a different web browser (preferably Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox).
• If you copy-paste the text into the form, hidden formatting might still be included which may cause the text to exceed the 2,000 character limit resulting in an error message. We recommend you clear all formatting before pasting in the text.
• If you have special symbols in your text, make sure you are using Unicode characters, otherwise these will not be recognised.

For detailed instructions, please watch our video on how to submit a course motivation letter.

Further details

For further information about registration and motivation letter submission please refer to the FAQ page.

Financial assistance

Limited financial assistance is provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO in the form of registration fee waivers, travel grants, and childcare grants. Your place in the meeting is only confirmed by paying the registration fee, which is mandatory even when receiving a fee waiver.

Registration fee waiver

The fee waiver will cover the registration sum that you have paid to attend the course.

Travel grant

The travel grant will cover the cost of travel (airfare, train, bus, taxi, accommodation, visa) and is provided up to specified caps which are normally as follows:

– up to €400 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course within Europe.

– up to €1000 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course from outside Europe.

The organisers may reduce the grant cap to accommodate more participants. Recipients will be notified of their travel cap amount when they are informed of the outcome of their application. Original receipts must be provided with your signature for all costs incurred within two months of completion of travel. Scanned copies cannot be accepted.

Childcare grant

There is the possibility to apply for a childcare grant to offset childcare costs incurred by participants, speakers, and organisers when attending a course.

Eligible costs include (but are not limited to) fees for a babysitter or child-care facility and travel costs for a caregiver. Please note that priority will be given to early-stage researchers. In order to apply for this grant, you must be registered by the abstract submission deadline. There is a limited amount of funding available for the childcare grants and funds will be distributed amongst eligible applicants.

Application

You may apply for financial assistance when submitting your motivation letter for courses. In your application, you will be asked to answer questions regarding why your lab cannot fund your attendance and how your attendance will make a difference to your career. Application for financial support will not affect the outcome of your registration application.

Selection

The scientific organisers will select the recipients of all financial assistance during the motivation letter selection process. Results will be announced approximately 6-8 weeks before the event start date, however for some events this may be delayed. Selection results do not impact your admission to the course. Selection is based on scientific merit, your current work or study location, the reasons for needing financial support, and the impact this event will have on your career.

Reimbursement

Costs will be reimbursed after the meeting only once a reimbursement form and original receipts (from travel costs) have been received.

Further details

See our list of external funding opportunities and for further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.

Travel information

Hotel

Accommodation is not included in the registration fee. On-site participants are expected to book and pay for their own accommodation.

Heidelberg Hub participants

A combination of single and twin rooms will be pre-reserved at hotels near EMBL Heidelberg for the participants to book independently. After the selection process, those chosen can contact the hotel directly to secure their reservation using a provided booking code. We recommend that all course participants in Heidelberg stay at the designated hotel for the duration of the course, as the shuttle bus will depart from there.

Barcelona Hub participants

No rooms are being prebooked; accommodation is arranged by participants themselves, according to individual preferences. The training location is very central and conveniently located for public transport.

More information on the hotel booking process will follow after the participant selection.

Local transport

In Heidelberg, due to the remote location of the EMBL Heidelberg Campus, a shuttle buses will go from the hotel to EMBL and back, mornings and evenings. A bus schedule and location of the bus stops will be made available prior to the meeting.

In Barcelona, no shuttle bus service is to be provided. Participants are expected to arrive to the venue on their own.

Catering

All meals and coffee breaks are included in the registration fee. Our catering staff will prepare a wide variety of vegetarian meals, meat and fish dishes, soups, pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as a variety of desserts.

Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself.

No food or drinks are allowed in the training rooms.

Electricity and charging station

In most places the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). An adaptor or plug that fits the German sockets may be needed for your appliances/laptop (i.e. if American, Japanese, etc.)

Health and safety notes

Smoking is prohibited in the buildings at both sites.
Eating and drinking is prohibited in all training rooms.
Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless instructed to do so.

If first aid is required:

EMBL Heidelberg Hub – Germany:

1. The first aid room is located next to the ATC Registration Desk (room 10- 205).
2. Dial the Emergency number 222 from any EMBL internal phone only.
3. Where is the accident? What happened? How many injured?
4. Emergency number 06221-387 7821 from mobile phones.
5. Please report all accidents to the conference officer at the registration desk.

• Press the nearest fire alarm button or the Emergency number 222 from any internal phone.
• A loud fire alarm will go off if an evacuation is required. On hearing the alarm leave the building immediately following the escape route and fire wardens and head to one of the meeting points
• Do not use the lifts.

Beyond first aid…

Please remember to bring your own medication, if needed, to the course. Note that the next pharmacy is a 4-minute drive from the EMBL, but for many medications you will be required to see a doctor to get a prescription.

Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor while in Heidelberg or Barcelona. In any case, the EMBL Course and Conference Office will assist you to get to the pharmacy and a doctor of your choice if necessary.

Internet

Wi-Fi is available. Log in using the EMBL-Events network and the event specific password, which will be provided on site. The eduroam network (secure, worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community) is also available.

Lost and found

‘’Lost and Found’’ items are kept at the registration desks until the end of the course.

Luggage

There are lockers available on-site close to the ATC reception desk to store your luggage, which require a 2 EURO coin to operate. There is another luggage room on level E0, which is free to use but remains unlocked during events.

Nursing room

There is a nursing room available in the ATC Rooftop Lounge on level A29.

Photography

During the event, an EMBL Photographer may be taking photos. If you would not like to appear in these, please inform the photographer or a member of the Course and Conference Office.

Room for prayer, yoga, and meditation

At EMBL Heidelberg there is a room for prayer, meditation, and yoga located on level E0 behind the Auditorium. Please be respectful of others using the room.

Sightseeing

A variety of activities in Heidelberg can be found on the website of Heidelberg Marketing.

Travel to and from the venue

During the event, we provide course shuttle buses to and from EMBL. In addition, there is the public bus 39A that serves the EMBL campus and taxis can be easily booked at any time. Information on the shuttle buses can be found on the individual event website and more detailed information on travelling to EMBL can be found on our Travel Information page.

Additional information

Address:

Advanced Training Centre, EMBL Heidelberg
Meyerhofstraße 1
69117 Heidelberg, Germany

• ATC orientation map

Please find additional information including FAQs, terms and conditions and travelling to EMBL on our Information for Participants page.

About the Barcelona Collaboratorium

The Barcelona Collaboratorium for Modelling and Predictive Biology brings together researchers from biology, mathematics, physics, computer science, and AI to transform biological knowledge and large-scale datasets into predictive, multi-scale models spanning from molecules to ecosystems. The Barcelona Collaboratorium for Modelling and Predictive Biology is a joint initiative of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and EMBL Barcelona.

More information about on-site facilities at the Barcelona Hub will be provided after selection.

Catering

All meals (except breakfast as hotels are to be arranged privately) and coffee breaks are included in the registration fee. Our catering staff will prepare a wide variety of vegetarian meals, meat and fish dishes, soups, pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as a variety of desserts.

Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself.

No food or drinks are allowed in the training rooms.

Electricity and charging station

In most places the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). An adaptor or plug that fits the Spanish sockets may be needed for your appliances/laptop (i.e. if American, Japanese, etc.)

Health and safety notes

Smoking is prohibited in the building.
Eating and drinking is prohibited in all training rooms.
Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless instructed to do so.

If first aid is required:

More information to follow.

Beyond first aid…

Please remember to bring your own medication, if needed, to the course.

Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor while in Barcelona. In any case, the staff on site will assist you to get to the pharmacy and a doctor of your choice if necessary.

Internet

More information to follow.

Nursing room

More information to follow.

Photography

More information to follow.

Room for prayer, yoga, and meditation

More information to follow.

Sightseeing

More information to follow.

Travel to and from the venue

The training venue is easily accessible by public transport. More information to follow.

Additional information

Address:

Barcelona Collaboratorium for Modelling and Predictive Biology
Pasqual Maragall Foundation Building
Wellington, 30, 2nd floor
08005 Barcelona, Spain

Please find additional information including FAQs, terms and conditions and travelling to EMBL on our Information for Participants page.

Technical requirements

Below you will find the software and technical requirements for this course.

• All participants need to bring their own laptops, which will be used to remotely access EMBL virtual machines with pre-installed software.
• All participants will be requested to install software before the course. Please make sure to bring the laptop with the installed software to the course.
• You will need admin rights to install the software required to access the virtual machines. If you do not have admin rights, please contact your technical support team in advance to make sure the software can be installed.
• If you have a non-standard HDMI port (other than type A), you need to bring an adaptor.

Additional software

The EMBL eCampus learning platform will be used to collaborate, communicate and network with all of the course participants. All participants will receive information on how to join shortly before the course. We recommend using Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox browsers for eCampus. 

Zoom will be used for the live talks and Q&A sessions. More information will be provided closer to the start of the course.

Other information

While using the software during the course, please make sure you have nothing else using your bandwidth. We recommend using a wired connection.