Protein Interactions and Networks

This advanced course will provide training in the laboratory techniques and bioinformatics tools necessary to discover protein interactions and understand protein function.

The week-long course will combine laboratory-based practical work with computer-based data analysis. The practical programme will be complemented by specific lectures in topical areas as well as a panel of distinguished guest speakers, who will present the latest research in the field.

Programme

Protein Complexes by Mass Spectrometry
affinity purification using TAP tag approach
protein Identification by Mass Spectrometry.

Yeast Two-Hybrid
rapid methods for making Bait and Prey clones
using mating assays to investigate specific interactions
library screening: faster ways to find new partners.

Binary Protein Interactions/BIAcore
low affinity extracellular receptor-ligand interactions
biophysical protein interaction parameters (binding constants and kinetics).

Bioinformatics
network and pathway visualisation
protein interaction prediction and analysis
data integration.

Course instructors
Jyoti Choudhary (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK)
Chris Sanderson (University of Liverpool, UK)
Gavin Wright (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton. UK)
Anton Enright (European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK)

Guest speakers
Professor Stephen Michnick (University of Montreal, Canada)
Dr Ulrich Stelzl (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Germany)
Professor Jack Greenblatt (University of Toronto, Canada)
Dr Sarah Teichmann (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK)

Cost
This is a residential course, without exception, and there is a fee of £750 towards board and lodging for academic applicants. The fee for commercial (non-academic) applicants is £3550. The course tuition fees are subsidised by The Wellcome Trust for scientists based in academic institutions from anywhere in the world.

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 their CV together with 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.