Topic: PCR

Design and analyse environmental-DNA metabarcoding studies with portable Nanopore sequencing. The workshop links field sampling, contamination controls, extraction and PCR to barcoding, library preparation and sequencing. Guided bioinformatics practicals cover basecalling, demultiplexing, filtering, clustering and taxonomic assignment before analysing biodiversity patterns in R. Participants compare alpha and beta diversity and ordination methods, while learning how laboratory choices and sequencing errors affect ecological interpretation. Live online, 2–4 February, 14:00–18:00 Europe/Berlin

Non-traumatic spinal cord injuries (NTSCI) constitute 66% of all spinal cord injuries (SCI) in neonates and infants in Australia, and their prevalence is increasing worldwide. NTSCI can result from various factors such as bony growths, vascular conditions, infections, immune disorders, and tumours. Despite efforts to address the root causes, the damage to the spinal cord itself remains untreatable. Research on NTSCI, especially in neonates and infants, is limited compared to traumatic SCI, and there is significant variability in available animal models.Given the scarcity of established neonata