Training Course on Field Trial & QTL Analysis using R & R/QTL

Biometrics Unit, ICRISAT in collaboration with Professor Karl Broman from the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and Dr. T. Nepolean from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India is organizing a training course on R and R/QTL - to run from 3rd to 6th December 2012. Please see attached flyer for more details.

This course is designed specifically for researchers and students from the fields of plant breeding, molecular biology, agricultural biotechnology and bioinformatics and biometrics. During the course participants will learn phenotypic and genotypic data analysis including linear and mixed models in experimental designs, generation of BLUPs, genetic linkage map construction and QTL mapping using the freely available, robust and versatile statistical computing software platform “R”.

The course will be divided into the following three modules:

1. First module will focus on “R software" including installation, data management in “R” environment, basic programing and graphics.
2. Second module will be focused on phenotypic data analysis. This module will cover understanding of field/lab experimental designs (CRD, RCBD, IBDs, Lattice and etc.) including data cleaning, outlier detection and various other requirements of proper statistical analysis. An introduction to linear models and their use in analysis of experimental designs will be demonstrated. Participants will also learn defining linear models for different types of experimental designs. We shall also introduce concept of mixed models and their analysis by using R software.
3. Third module will be focused on QTL analysis. The key idea in QTL mapping is to obtain phenotypic data from a backcross or intercross population and then identify molecular markers in the genome associated with the phenotype. Cleaning of genotypic data, single marker regression, Simple & Composite Interval Mapping & Multiple QTL Mapping will be covered using R/QTL software.

Targeted Audiences

This course is designed specifically for researchers and students from the fields of plant breeding, molecular biology, agricultural biotechnology and bioinformatics and biometrics.

Registration, Course Fees & Accommodation

Last date for registration is 30th October 2012. Course fees is US$ 200.00 or Indian Rupees 10,000.00. Course fee includes lunch and coffee breaks for the 4 days.

Course participants are advised to stay at ICRISAT accommodation facilities, for which the costs are as follows:
Dormitories : US$ 15.00 or Indian Rupees 750.00 per day
Flats : US$ 47.00 or Indian Ruppess 2350. per day

Day care services can be arranged for parcipants who intend to bring children below 4 years old with them, at a cost of
US$ 4.00 or Indian Rupees 200.00 per day.

For registration details please visit http://www.icrisat.org/rcourse.htm or contact Ms. B. Manjula  or Dr Abhishek Rathore.

Sponsorship

A limited number of scholarships to cover course fees & accommodaon are available. To apply please send your application (including CV and justification before) 30th September 2012. A committee will review all the applications and communicate the results by 15th October 2012.