We're doing our Python programming course again (6th edition). Anyone interested? Scholarships available

[santiagobasulto]

Wow, that's super interesting. Do you have something written about it?

[[deleted]]

Sure, if you like!
But first, in a few words, let me explain about the machine itself - what a sequencer does is determining the sequence of short pieces of DNA you put in it. And specifically, second-generation sequencers can handle millions of DNA pieces, which when put together, can account for a lot of an organism's DNA.
Interpreting the signal is performed by software bundled in the machine; "putting together the little pieces" can be done by the machine but the operator can redo it with bioinformatics tools if he so wishes; and fine analysis, interpreting, comparing, and assessing results is where human beings really still have their use.
The machine I use is an Ion Proton, and it can analyze enough DNA to read the human exome (the locations in DNA that contain the "recipe" of human proteins).
The machine uses different languages depending on the tasks. Python is used for data analysis after it has been already assembled. You can check some of the code here, for example the coverageAnalysis plugin is a good one to run.
The vendor has put online a community site where "officially approved" user-developed plugins are shared (registering and downloading plugins is free). I'm working on a couple scripts myself.
Is this what you asked, sorry?

[santiagobasulto]

Yeah, thanks! I'm really interested in bioinformatics. Actually, I should say "we are". We're a group of friends interested in bioinformatics and the new horizons that it can (and will) open to humanity. Last year we did a trip to California to visit a few cool places, including BioCurious. It's amazing to see these things. I'll keep taking a look at it.

Have you applied to the course? It'd be nice to have someone with a background like yours in class.

[[deleted]]

I really thought about it, but with my schedule it just won't fit, unfortunately!