Phylogenetics of animal pathogens: basic principles and applications

New to phylogenetics? Do you want to learn how to build and interpret trees to be able to apply them to veterinary diagnosis? Developed by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, this e-learning course can be completed online, at the desired pace and in the absence of an instructor.

Overview

The vast diversity of the pathogens affecting livestock demands a very specific diagnostic procedure in identification and characterization of each pathogen. In this context, the enormous amount of sequence and genotype data is being generated on animal pathogens, which is further useful in understanding their pathogenicity and molecular epidemiology. The usage of this data in developing efficient molecular diagnostic tools needs basic understanding of the phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic classification, construction of trees, interpretation unveils the geographical distribution and migration of pathogens which helps in better management of animal diseases.

This e-learning course is designed to as an introduction to phylogenetics, tools, building and interpreting trees and finally its application to veterinary diagnostics. Though the course is driven in veterinary aspects, the same implicates to the human and plant pathogen study. The ultimate aim is the better management of animal diseases by preparing laboratory technicians, veterinarians and molecular epidemiologists from diagnostic and research laboratories of developing FAO and IAEA member states, to be self-sufficient in the data analysis by interpreting the phylogenetic trees and their relationships.

Topics:

1. Tree Basics
2. Building Phylogenetic Trees
3. Interpreting Trees

Audience

The concepts are explained in generalized way to help all academicians, researchers, students from all countries working in the field of molecular genetics and epidemiology.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the e-learning course, the participants are expected to:

• interpret phylogenetic trees and their relationships

Prerequisites

Knowledge / competencies

None.

Technical

None.

Time required

1 hour

Instructions

This course has been designed such that chapters are completed sequentially. Open the link for the chapter in a separate browser tab.

Chapter 1: Tree Basics

Chapter 2: Building Phylogenetic Trees

Chapter 3: Interpreting Trees

Chapter 4: Exercises

References

Additional information

You are welcome to register to the SIB courses mailing list to be informed of all future courses and workshops, as well as all important deadlines using the form here.

Please note that participation in SIB courses is subject to our general conditions.

For more information, please contact training@sib.swiss.