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EMBO Practical Course

Computational and experimental microbiomics

06 – 18 July 2026 | Bath, United Kingdom

  • Registration Deadline
  • 11 May 2026
  • Abstract Submission Deadline
  • 15 April 2026
  • Chosen Participants Will Be Notified By
  • 25 April 2026
  • Payment Deadline
  • 8 June 2026

Apply now!

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About the Practical Course

The critical contribution of microbiota to animal, plant and environmental health is now widely accepted. Progress has been driven by two parallel approaches: in silico analyses of large -omics data sets and experimental characterization of host-microbe interactions. Recent advances in computational approaches including metagenomics and multibiome dataset integration are transforming understanding of microbiota composition and dynamics. At the same time, genetically tractable zebrafi sh have emerged as a powerful alternative to rodent models for sophisticated imaging-based characterisation of dynamic host-microbe relationships.
This EMBO Practical Course is designed to give participants a comprehensive exposure to these cutting-edge approaches. You will learn how to sample, sequence, assemble and interpret metagenomes, quantify the host responses they elicit and study the evolution of their constituent taxa and host co-evolution - using a range of genomic, comparative genomic and phylogenetic methods. Concurrently, you will learn how to characterise the impacts of core members of the bacterial microbiome on metabolic signalling in zebrafi sh and determine the eff ects of modifi ed bacterial communities on lipid metabolism using state of the art imaging. This combination of approaches provides a unique opportunity to advance your skills in a field of growing biological and medical relevance.

Image credits: Mckenna Eklund


About EMBO Courses and Workshops

EMBO Courses and Workshops are selected for their excellent scientific quality and timelines, provision of good networking activities for all participants and speaker gender diversity (at least 40% of speakers must be from the underrepresented gender).

Organisers are encouraged to implement measures to make the meeting environmentally more sustainable.

 
 

Programme

 

Registration

  • Registration Deadline
  • 11 May 2026
  • Abstract Submission Deadline
  • 15 April 2026
  • Chosen Participants Will Be Notified By
  • 25 April 2026
  • Payment Deadline
  • 8 June 2026

 

  • STUDENT/POSTDOCS EUR 550
  • ACADEMIC EUR 550
  • INDUSTRY EUR 1200

Registration includes:

  • accommodation
  • meals on-campus for the duration of the course

Registration information

Please provide a short CV and a motivation letter, explaining why you want to participate in the course.

Payment

Payments for selected applicants will be processed via an online shop hosted on the University of Bath website.

Cancellation policy

In the event that a participant is unable to attend the course, the Registration fee will be refunded (less an admin fee of €50) up to 8/06/2026. After this date, refunds will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

Selection criteria

Participants will be selected based on their relevant research experience and a clear motivation for acquiring the skills taught on the course. This could include enhancing pre-existing skills in microbiomics or acquiring new skills in order to develop a new research direction.
No prior experience of microbiome analysis is required.
Participants are likely to have post doctoral research experience or be in the latter half of their PhD studies.

Abstract guidelines

Please provide an abstract of 250 words describing your current research project.

Travel grants and registration fee waivers

Travel grants and registration fee waivers are available for participants.

Selection of awardees is handled directly by the organizers. EMBO travel grants and registration fee waivers are allocated on the basis of the quality of the submitted abstract.

Applicants do not need to apply separately for these but should indicate on the registration form if they wish to be considered.

Additional travel grants are available for EMBC Associate Member States Chile, India, Singapore and Taiwan.

Child care grants

EMBO Courses and Workshops offers grants to offset additional childcare costs incurred by participants or speakers when participating at any EMBO Courses and Workshop funded meeting. Eligible costs include fees for a caregiver or child-care facility, travel costs for a caregiver, or travel costs for taking the child to the meeting etc. Please indicate on the registration form whether you would like to be considered for the grant. Please also describe how you intend to use the childcare grant and specify the sum that you will need.

Accessibility grants

EMBO offers accessibility grants to support participants at EMBO Courses & Workshops with any access needs. These grants cover up to 500 Euros for any additional costs e.g. to adapt the conference environment, or to be accompanied by someone to assist them where necessary.

Participants with access needs may apply for a grant via the registration system of the related EMBO event, or by emailing the organizers of the related EMBO event directly.

Code of conduct

Anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy

At EMBO, we believe that harassment and discriminatory behaviour are unacceptable in any setting.

Media and communications policy

Recording or communication of the presented data needs to be agreed upon by all concerned.

EMBO's code of conduct is applicable for all participants of this EMBO meeting and can be found here.

 

Contact

Philip Ingham

Email: pwi20@bath.ac.uk

 

 

Venue

Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AX, United Kingdom

Accommodation

Accommodation will be in single ensuite rooms in the Marlborough/Solsbury halls on the University of Bath’s Claverton Down campus.

Transport

Bath can be reached straightforwardly by train, bus, or airplane. There are frequent trains from London Paddington Station (Great Western Railway line). Eurostar services from continental Europe arrive into London St Pancras, with a short tube ride connecting the two stations. Bath has a bus station that is served by local and national bus routes, including from London. The closest airport is Bristol Airport, from where it is possible to reach Bath via direct bus (Air Decker) or via a bus to Bristol Temple Meads train station, and then a short train journey to Bath, with journey times of roughly an hour. It is also relatively convenient to fl y into one of the London airports, then take a train from London Paddington station.
Once in central Bath, frequent buses (U1-U4) connect the street opposite the train station to the Claverton Down campus, where the course will be held. It is also possible to walk, run, or cycle up the hill to the campus (sadly, no ski lift is available).

Sustainability at the meeting

The EMBO Courses & Workshops Programme assesses meetings based on the proposal and implementation of sustainability measures. Meetings can earn points across a range of measures, with each measure assigned a point value from one to five. These points classify the meeting into one of three sustainability levels, reflecting the organizers' commitment to enhancing the sustainability of their event. More information on the EMBO Courses & Workshops Sustainability Badge can be found here.

  • Catering will include vegetarian days and locally sourced ingredients.
  • Bottled water or single-use wares will be avoided.
  • Abstract books and programs will be provided in electronic format only.
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