Schedule

The Spring School schedule is available and may be downloaded here .

General Information

Date

April 3 – 7, 2006

Location

Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria

Organising committee

Chair: Dr Aneta K. Kostadinova, Members: Dr G. Vasileva, Dr S. Lazarova, Dr S. Chankova, Dr V. Karamfilov, Secretariat: Dr P. Nikolov, N. Todorova, Dr S. Gateva, Y. Mutafchiev, P. Pankov

Sponsors

BioCORE Project (National Science Fund, Programme Development of Scientific Potential, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria), Central Laboratory of General Ecology (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

Lecturers

• Dr Maria Brennerova, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
• Dr. Peter Bryant, Bute Medical School, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
• Dr Francesca De Luca, Plant Protection Institute, Section of Bari, Italy
• Dr José António dos Santos Pereira de Matos, Molecular Biology Group, Depratment of Biotechnology, INETI, Lisbon, Portugal
• Dr Peter Olson, Wolfson-Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK
• Dr Stephka Chankova, Environmental Mutagenesis Research Group, Department of Bioindication and environmental risk, Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
• Dr Stefan Panajotov, National Reference Laboratory of Molecular and Radiation Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
• Dr Aneta Kostadinova, Parasitic Worms Division, Department of Biodiversity, Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

Objectives

The focus of the course is on the implementation of molecular methods in ecological and evolutionary studies. It includes overviews and discussions of up-to-date concepts and methods and provides an opportunity for participants to perform hands-on molecular techniques and phylogenetic analyses under the supervision of experts from EU research centres and Bulgaria.

Topics

The Spring School will include plenary lectures, case study presentations and practicals covering: Molecular systematics and phylogeny, Molecular methods in environmental mutagenesis, and Molecular techniques for environmental impact assessment.

Program outline

Lectures

Molecular Systematics and Phylogeny

• Phylogenetic inference using DNA sequence data (Peter Olson).
• Methods and protocols for molecular identification and systematics: The case of nematodes (Francesca De Luca).
• Molecular approaches in parasite identification, population structure and systematics: Problems, tools and case studies (Aneta Kostadinova).

Molecular methods in environmental mutagenesis

• The possible role of DNA double-strand break rejoining in the ionizing radiation-induced adaptive response (Peter Bryant).
• Molecular markers as a tool for assessment of genetic polymorphism in closely related strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (José António Matos).
• Adaptive response: present state and open questions (Stephka Chankova).

Molecular techniques for environmental impact assessment

• Molecular approaches for assessment of environmental pollutants impact on diversity and degrading potential of microbial communities (Maria Brennerova).
• Molecular methods for bacterial identification and community characterization in environmental samples (Stefan Panayotov).

Practical training

Molecular Systematics and Phylogeny

• Isolation of DNA from single nematodes. PCR amplification of rRNA gene regions. Preparation for Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) differentiation of closely related species. Gel Electrophoresis.
• Phylogenetic trees from molecular sequences – computing sessions. Reading sample outputs from automated DNA sequencer. Evaluation of the raw data. Computer alignment of multiple sequences. Tree-making methods for discrete-character molecular data. Bootstrap analysis.

Molecular methods in environmental mutagenesis

• Measurement of the induction and rejoining of DNA double-strand breaks in the micro-alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
• RAPD comparative analysis of 4 strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Molecular techniques for environmental impact assessment.

• Amplified rDNA restriction enzyme analysis (ARDRA): Total DNA extraction from pristine and oil polluted aquatic and sediment samples. PCR amplification of 16S rRNA genes. Restriction fragment polymorphism of 16S rDNA - enzymatic digestion, electrophoretic analysis (agarose and native polyacrilamide gel) and visualization.

Target audience

Targeted at PhD level students and early-stage researchers, 15 funded places are available on the course. Funded places cover the €50 course participation fee. Fifteen un-funded places are also available.

Language

All classes will be taught in English.

Fees

Course participation fee is €50. This will cover consumables for the practicals, refreshments during the course, attendance of the social events, and a copy of the compiled course syllabus. Fifteen grants will be available to cover the course fees of selected participants.

Participants must cover their travel costs and local expenses. Housing and food (3 meals/day) at the course venue will cost approximately € 45 /person/day to each participant.

Application

Application deadline is January 15th, 2006

Application deadline is January 25th, 2006

Due to the limited number of places the admission process for the course is competitive.

Complete application forms must be sent via e-mail to Gergana Vasileva.

NOTE: The application is already closed!

Announcements for acceptance will be made by February 1st, 2006.

Thank you for the interest!