Education Workshop (Wednesday pm)

Microarray section, AMATA 2009 Education Workshop-Laura L Mays Hoopes, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711

The microarray portion of the workshop will introduce teaching resources for using microarrays in classes.  First, the Genome Consortium for Active Teaching (GCAT) resources will be presented, including access to inexpensive arrays and scanning, supportive ListServ, and the freeware MagicTool (preview at www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/GCAT/GCAT.html).    Ways to use these resources in class laboratories will be given.  Then, participants will try using MeV  to analyze public microarray data in a model student exercise.  Participants should bring laptops and download MeV from www.tm4.org before arriving.  This program was originated by TIGR and is free and very student-friendly.

The Joint Genome Institute's Microbial Genome Annotation Program for Undergraduates, AMATA 2009 Education Workshop-Cheryl Kerfeld, DOE Joint Genome Institute & UC Berkeley

The JGI has developed a set of tools and faculty training modules to integrate microbial genome annotation across the undergraduate life sciences curriculum, from introductory molecular biology to capstone microbiology and biochemistry courses.   Workshop participants will be introduced to the annotation platform, which includes IMG-EDU, a microbial genome database.  IMG-EDU and links to other databases are embedded in a web/wiki portal, IMG-ACT, that guides students through the annotation process and records their findings.  The annotation platform also provides tools for instructors to assign genes and pathways and to evaluate students' annotations.  IMG-ACT also provides faculty networking tools to share materials and curricula.  Strategies for using these tools to incorporate bioinformatics and genomics across the undergraduate curriculum as well as provide the basis for student research projects will be discussed.  Participants should bring laptops.