Molecular Basis of Bacterial Infection: Basic and Applied Research Approaches

9-15 May 2010
Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge
Deadline for applications: Friday 22 January 2010

Course summary
This course will introduce participants to concepts and techniques currently used in studies on the molecular basis of bacterial infection. Several themes will run throughout the week and these will provide a framework for bench experiments, demonstrations, supporting lectures and discussion groups.Core themes will include tissue-based assays, reporters, tissue culture assays, and microscopy (fluorescent and scanning/transmission electron microscopy).

Preliminary programme
Cell assays/reporters
You will handle tissue culture cells and infect them with different pathogens.Invasion will be monitored via reporter gene expression using both pathogen and host promoters.The use of RT and real-time PCR will be discussed.Cells will be examined by confocal and electron (scanning, transmission) microscopy.Theoretical and practical aspects of FACS will be discussed and demonstrated.

Tissue-based assays
You will learn about how to prepare infected tissue for immuno-histochemical analysis.Work covered will include basic histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.

Adhesion assays
You will learn about the use of solid phase binding assays to interrogate the properties of adhesins from Gram positive pathogens that bind host extracellular matrix proteins

Demonstrations
The course will be supported by the use of demonstrations including next generation sequencing, clinical microbiology, bioinformatics, the use of genome browsers, laser capture microscopy, FACS, tissue arrays, electron microscopy, and CL3 operation.

Course organisers
Professor Gordon Dougan (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)
Dr Rob Kingsley (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)
Invited lectures
The course will be supported by several external investigators who will work in the laboratory throughout the course and by international speakers of the highest calibre who will lecture on current cutting-edge topics.

2009 guest speakers (2010 speakers TBC shortly)
Professor Brendan Wren (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Professor John Clemens (International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea)
Professor Scott J. Hultgren (Washington University School of Medicine)
Professor Wolf-Dietrich Hardt (Institute of Microbiology, ETH, Zürich)
Professor Stanley Falkow (Stanford University School of Medicine, USA)

Cost
The course is subsidised by The Wellcome Trust for scientists based in academic institutions from anywhere in the world. This is a residential course, without exception, and there is a fee of £775 towards board and lodging for non-commercial (i.e. academic and clinical) applicants. The fee for commercial applicants is £3600.

Bursaries
Limited bursaries are available for academics (50 per cent of fee) and are subject to open competition.

Applications
Applicants will be required to complete an application form containing a 300-word outline of the relevance of the course to their research. Please note that documentation supporting their application will be required from the applicant's supervisor/head of department.

Bursaries for Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses
The Wellcome Trust subsidises all courses and workshops, so there are no tuition fees. The ‘course fee' for the UK courses (held at Hinxton) covers on-site accommodation and food for the duration of the course. Bursaries are available to assist with UK course fees, but not travel costs. We are committed to building scientific capacity in developing countries and are expanding the number of courses and workshops run outside of the UK (‘overseas' courses). There is no fee for these courses and bursaries are available for travel, sustenance and accommodation. Please see below for full details.

UK Courses (held at the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus in Hinxton)
A limited number of bursaries are available for each course. These are awarded by the selection committee according to merit. The bursary usually covers 50 per cent of the course fee, though in exceptional circumstances an application for the total course fee may be considered. Where there are many bursary applications, the selection committee may issue smaller amounts. We cannot assist with travel costs. All bursary requests to attend UK courses must be accompanied by a bursary application form. This must be completed and signed by your scientific sponsor (supervisor or head of department) and include justification for the bursary. Applicants will be notified of a bursary award along with their place on the course, usually within one month of the application deadline. We will reject incomplete applications. Both the application form and sponsor's letter must be received before the application deadline. The decision of the selection committee is final.

Overseas courses (held outside the UK)
A number of bursaries are available for each overseas course. These are awarded by the selection committee according to merit. There is no course fee.The bursary will cover travel, accommodation and sustenance. The maximum award for travel (in economy/second class) will be £750. All likely travel costs must be detailed in the overseas bursary application form, which must accompany all bursary requests for courses held outside of the UK. We will notify you of the chosen hotel and sustenance award if successful. The selection committee may judge that a partial award should be granted. We will reject incomplete applications. Both the application form and sponsor's letter must be received before the application deadline.