Course Big Data Analysis in the Life Sciences

Course fees: €225 for PhD candidates affiliated with VLAG, EPS or one of the other Wageningen Graduate Schools; €450 for all other PhD candidates; €625 for university staff/non-profit; €1200 for industry/for-profit.
Registration: via the electronic reply form on the VLAG website
Study credits: 0.9 ECTS
Organizers: the Graduate School VLAG, Systems and Synthetic Biology (Wageningen University) & Human Nutrition and Health (Wageningen University)

Technological and scientific advances have pushed the Life sciences into the BIG data era. The increased volume and heterogeneity of available data challenges scientists to master techniques for comprehensive data analysis. Extracting meaningful (biological) information from large datasets is increasingly becoming a challenge in all fields of life sciences. Thus, the ability to select and deploy analysis tools and algorithms has become an indispensable skill for all researchers. In this course, we aim to introduce participants to techniques for comprehensive data analysis of large, heterogeneous datasets and extract relevant information for elucidating biological design principles. The course is modular and focuses on data generation, mining, analysis, data integration, and visualization.

This introductory course is aimed at anyone working with big datasets in the life sciences who has an interest in learning more about tools and possibilities for big data analysis. Basic knowledge of statistics is required for this course, while experience of computer programming would be useful but is not mandatory. Computer practicals will require using R. An R tutorial will be sent in advance to ensure that all participants have the required level.

More information


Monday, October 21, 2019 through October 23
For times and program see website VLAG
Wageningen Campus
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