The Bioinformatics Centre (BIC) at IISER Pune announces a 2-day hands-on workshop on AI for Biologists. Join us as we dive into the world of AI/ML to explore how these transformative tools can be applied to solve complex biological problems.
This workshop is designed to introduce and familiarize biologists with the latest data analysis techniques, focusing on:
Curating and querying relational databases
Applying machine learning algorithms (ML, SVM, etc.)
Analyzing images and structural biology data
Topics to be covered:
This interactive workshop will provide hands-on training in AI/ML techniques using real-world datasets from genomics, structural biology, and computational biology. Participants will gain practical experience in the following areas:
Community Detection
Participants will learn how to represent biological data as complex networks and apply community detection techniques to identify clusters of similar data points. We will compare this approach to classical clustering methods, discussing their respective advantages and limitations in analyzing large biological datasets.
Relational Databases for Biological Data Management
This module will introduce the fundamentals of creating and querying relational databases. Participants will learn to curate and organize experimental datasets, design database schemas, and write SQL queries for data extraction, manipulation, and analysis. Hands-on exercises will equip biologists with the skills needed to manage complex datasets and integrate AI/ML techniques effectively.
Computer Vision for Medical Image Analysis
Artificial intelligence has revolutionized medical imaging. This session will introduce participants to image classification techniques using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Through practical coding exercises in Python with PyTorch, we will explore applications in medical imaging, using an X-ray dataset as a case study.
Structural Biology
Participants will learn to predict and model protein structures, protein-peptide interactions, and protein-protein complexes using AI-based tools such as AlphaFold and ESMFold. This session will cover best practices for obtaining accurate 3D structures, optimizing and refining predictions, and addressing the inverse folding problem—predicting sequences that fit a given 3D scaffold.
Functional Genomics
This module will introduce high-throughput sequencing-based assays such as ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, and Hi-C. Participants will learn how to analyze data from these experiments and explore how AI/ML techniques can provide insights into the role of non-coding genomic regions in gene regulation and cellular function.
Who Should Attend?
The workshop is tailored for:
New Principal Investigators (PIs)
Postdoctoral Researchers
PhD Students
Master’s Students (subject to availability)
Industry partners
Ideal participants should have a background in biology and curiosity about applying computational techniques to experimental data. No prior experience with data science is required.
Workshop Details
Date: 15th and 16th March 2025
Time: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Deadline: 1st March 2025
Please note: The confirmation email along with the payment link will be sent after the registration deadline (on 2nd March 2025).
Accommodation will be provided in IISER Pune Guest House.