Workshops

Design restoration projects using ecological principles and the Society for Ecological Restoration standards. Case studies connect limiting factors, community assembly and reference ecosystems with diagnoses of degradation, project objectives and intervention choices. Participants compare passive and active restoration, monitoring and adaptive management, ecological recovery indicators and public participation. Collaborative exercises culminate in proposing restoration of a degraded ecosystem and explaining its expected societal and ecological benefits. Live sessions: 26 and 29 October; 2, 5, 9, 12 and 16 November, 15:00–18:00, Europe/Madrid (CET, UTC+01:00). Total 28 hours: 21 live plus seven independent. English-language live online course; Fee €530; Ambassador Institution rate €424. VAT included. Capacity: 16. Basic ecology and a graduate or postgraduate Life Sciences or related degree are expected. Registration requires acceptance; payment follows confirmation. Recordings are provided, but live attendance is required for a certificate.

This workshop connects mathematical and theoretical neuroscience approaches to the dynamics of densely connected recurrent spiking networks. Mean-field methods link individual-neuron dynamics with population behaviour, while low-dimensional collective dynamics and low-rank connectivity provide complementary descriptions informed by experiments and simulations. Researchers with mathematical and physics backgrounds alternate presentations to compare these perspectives. Public research lectures run from Monday afternoon through Wednesday, followed by doctoral tutorials on Thursday and Friday at the Bernoulli Center, EPFL, Lausanne. Registration begins at 13:30 on 2 November, with the introduction at 13:45 and talks from 14:00. Tuesday and Wednesday lectures and Thursday and Friday tutorials start at 09:00. Times are Europe/Zurich, CET (UTC+01:00). Seats are limited; researchers from outside EPFL pay CHF90 and commit to attending the lecture sessions. Tutorials are restricted to PhD students. Separate registration forms for doctoral students and other researchers are linked on the official workshop page. Preparation assumes mathematics or physics at master’s level and familiarity with computational neuroscience.

This RICAM workshop examines the numerical foundations of reliable deep-learning computation. Low-precision and mixed-precision arithmetic, quantization and parallel GPU computation enable larger models and deployment on constrained devices, while introducing questions about error, stability and performance. Researchers from theoretical and applied communities will compare methods for stable training and efficient inference and identify directions for further work. The programme brings together expertise in numerical analysis, machine learning and hardware-aware computation. The in-person workshop runs on 2–6 November at RICAM, Science Park 2, fourth floor, Altenberger Straße 69, Linz. Monday registration and welcome run 14:00–14:40, followed by talks until 17:00. Tuesday through Friday sessions begin at 09:00; Friday’s programme ends at 11:40. Times are Europe/Vienna, CET (UTC+01:00). Register through the special-semester form, select Workshop 2 and Regular Participant, and use an institutional email address to verify affiliation. Registration is binding; the organizer asks for cancellation at least one week before the workshop and states that unreported non-attendance can exclude participants from future events.

Translate biological hypotheses into causal questions using potential outcomes and directed graphs. The practical programme identifies confounding, mediation and collider bias and implements matching, propensity scores, inverse weighting, g-computation and doubly robust estimation. It then develops causal machine-learning approaches, including forests, targeted learning, uncertainty quantification and conformal prediction, before applying mediation analysis to multi-omics integration and reproducible R/Python workflows. Sessions: 2–6 November, 14:00–18:00 daily, Europe/Berlin (CET, UTC+01:00), with Slack discussion between sessions. Live online training; fee €480. For advanced MSc, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with R/Bioconductor, probability, statistics and regression experience.

Investigate whether conserved protein structures can improve phylogenetic inference for deeply diverged or rapidly evolving sequences. The workflow retrieves predicted structures, evaluates homology and alignment quality, and combines amino-acid and Foldseek 3Di representations for likelihood-based trees. Exercises compare structural alignment tools, evolutionary models, information criteria and distance methods, then visualise and statistically compare trees. Discussions examine assumptions and limitations of structure-based evidence. Live sessions: 2, 4, 5 and 6 November, 08:00–12:00, Europe/Madrid (CET, UTC+01:00). Total 22 hours: 16 live plus six independent. English-language live online course; Fee €560; Ambassador Institution rate €448. VAT included. Capacity: 15. R experience is expected and Unix familiarity is helpful. Participants install the listed analysis and visualisation software before the course. Registration requires acceptance; payment follows confirmation. Recordings are provided, but live attendance is required for a certificate.

Build a statistically rigorous RNA-seq analysis in R and Bioconductor. The workshop develops data import and visualisation skills, hypothesis testing and genomic interval analysis before covering read mapping, count normalisation, differential expression and multiple-testing correction. Practical comparisons include DESeq2, edgeR and limma/voom. The final session interprets functional pathways using overrepresentation and permutation-based gene-set enrichment analysis. Six live online sessions on 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 10 November, 15:00–18:00 Europe/Berlin (CET). Fee €530. Basic R programming and genomics knowledge are expected; previous statistical training is unnecessary.

Explore recent results in symplectic, Hamiltonian and contact dynamics, emphasizing the use of holomorphic curves and spectral invariants. The workshop connects these techniques with symplectic geometry and considers how they may extend to more general dynamical systems. 2–6 November 2026, Eastern Standard Time (America/New_York). The scientific programme starts Monday at 09:00, with registration from 08:30, and ends Friday at 12:30. Monday–Thursday sessions extend to 17:00. In-person tickets cost USD 25 and seating is limited; registration is required except for IAS faculty, members and speakers.

Learn to conduct reproducible research data analysis in R and RStudio without prior R experience. Lectures, live coding and practical exercises introduce vectors, matrices, data frames, lists, packages and functions. Participants import and inspect data, handle missing values, subset and join datasets, calculate summaries and export results. Further sessions develop ggplot2 visualisations, R Markdown reports, project organisation, reusable functions and strategies for finding help and troubleshooting errors. Exercises can use supplied datasets or participants’ own research data. 2–6 November 2026, daily 14:00–16:30 and 17:30–20:00, Europe/Madrid (CET, UTC+1); instructor questions 20:00–21:00. Total course commitment: 35 hours. English; 16 places. Regular fee EUR 570, or EUR 456 for Ambassador Institutions. Live attendance is required for the certificate. Payment follows acceptance; advertised fees include VAT.

This practical school introduces bulk RNA-seq analysis for biologists and data analysts with little computing experience. Participants work through Linux commands, sequencing technologies and file formats, quality assessment and trimming, read alignment, mapping diagnostics and visualization using an Illumina dataset. Later sessions compare methods for quantifying transcripts and detecting differential gene expression, splicing and isoform expression, with R graphics and exercises to interpret the results. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis is outside the programme. Teaching runs from 09:00 to 17:00 on 2–5 November 2026, local Berlin time (CET, UTC+1). A basic understanding of molecular biology is expected. Instruction is in English; workstations and course materials are supplied. The fee is EUR 1,449 excluding VAT, with travel and accommodation additional. The course has a 30-person capacity, allocated in order of registration and subject to seat confirmation; the form may place applicants on a waiting list. Registration closes on 30 October.

Transposable-element biology and evolution are connected with practical bioinformatic methods for identifying and analysing repetitive DNA. Participants examine how these mobile sequences influence genome structure, gene regulation and epigenetic states, and why their rapid evolution complicates computational annotation. The programme combines conceptual instruction with analysis exercises across the published five-day schedule. Teaching runs online from 14:00 to 19:00 Berlin time. The listed course package costs €480.

Build reproducible marine analyses by combining habitat, oceanographic, biodiversity and human-activity data in R. Practical sessions work with bathymetry and benthic habitats, three-dimensional and time-varying ocean observations, species records and distribution resources, animal movements and fisheries data. Participants connect these sources with marine protected areas and jurisdictional boundaries to address conservation and spatial-planning questions. Sessions: 3–6 November, 15:00–18:00 each day, Europe/Berlin (CET, UTC+01:00). Live online training; fee €430. Basic R knowledge is required; aimed at marine researchers and conservation practitioners.

This online workshop connects computational neuroscience, machine learning and neuromorphic engineering through research on spiking neural networks. It examines artificial and biologically plausible learning algorithms and how trained spiking circuits can reveal principles of neural processing. Two afternoons combine four invited talks, seven contributed-talk slots, flash presentations and a virtual poster session, with time for discussion. Invited speakers are Susanne Schreiber, Mihai Petrovici, Eugene Izhikevich and Giulia D’Angelo. The programme begins at 14:00 CET on both 4 and 5 November; the first day reaches posters at 17:30, and the second concludes with remarks at 17:25. Attendance is free with registration to receive streaming links. The abstract deadline was 25 September 2026. Ticket sales end on 4 November 2026.

This MRS workshop, developed with the Japan Society of Applied Physics, examines how AI can advance autonomous materials research beyond property prediction. Sessions connect physics-informed models, fundamental physical understanding, experimental validation and human–AI collaboration. Particular attention goes to data-efficient learning where experimental datasets are small or difficult to obtain. The online programme runs 4 November, 10:00–13:00, and 5 November, 19:00–22:00, US Eastern Time (EST). Registered participants receive session recordings. Registration is USD 100 regular, USD 75 for MRS members and USD 25 for students; qualifying developing-country professionals pay USD 25 and qualifying students attend free, subject to documentation and the published conditions. An MRS account is required.

This practical course introduces next-generation sequencing and the core bioinformatics analyses used with sequencing data. Participants work through quality control and read mapping, learning standard file formats, quality-score encoding and common analysis tools. It is designed for life scientists and computer scientists preparing to analyse NGS data. Familiarity with Galaxy or prior introductory Galaxy training is recommended, and participants need a Galaxy Australia account, their own computer and a reliable internet connection. The online course runs on 4 and 5 November, 13:00–17:00 AEST each day (14:00–18:00 AEDT); participants must attend both sessions. The training is free for Australian researchers under the collaboration between QCIF, Australian BioCommons and the National Bioinformatics Training Cooperative. Applications are required, and Zoom setup details are provided to participants before the course.

Practise identifying gemstones across a broad range of colours and difficulty levels, including mounted stones. Participants work directly with specimens from familiar sapphire to less common materials such as tugtupite, developing efficient and robust testing habits under an experienced gemmologist’s guidance. An optional short assessment offers a way to check the resulting identification skills. 6 November, 10:00–16:00; Europe/London (GMT, UTC+00:00). In-person practical course, limited to 20 places. Fee: £215 for members or £225 for non-members. The non-member booking is available through Eventbrite; members and students use the Gem-A dashboard. Tickets are non-refundable.

Assemble eukaryotic genomes by combining long-read sequencing with chromatin-contact data. Practical work progresses from read manipulation and k-mer analysis through assembly algorithms, removal of duplicated haplotigs and Hi-C scaffolding. Participants assess contiguity, sequence accuracy and gene completeness with approaches including Merqury and BUSCO, and finish by comparing results from small eukaryotic datasets. The theoretical component explains how repeats, heterozygosity and sequencing technologies influence assembly choices. Sessions: 9–13 November, 14:00–20:00 daily, Europe/Berlin (CET, UTC+01:00). Live online training; fee €530. Suitable for researchers learning de novo assembly, including beginners; Linux practice is included. An optional €900 bundle includes the separate manual-curation course.

Quantify biological shape through a reproducible three-dimensional morphometrics workflow in 3D Slicer and R. Participants connect image acquisition and resolution to segmentation and cleaning, collect landmarks and semilandmarks, and derive shape variables using Procrustes alignment and sliding procedures. Statistical exercises use principal components and regression to interpret size and shape variation; visualisations include deformations, morphings and heatmaps. Live sessions: 9–13 November, 13:00–18:00 daily, Europe/Madrid (CET, UTC+01:00). Total 30 hours: 25 live plus five independent. English-language live online course; Fee €610; Ambassador Institution rate €488. VAT included. Capacity: 20. A Life Sciences degree and familiarity with R and geometric-morphometric concepts are expected. R/RStudio and 3D Slicer are required. Registration requires acceptance; payment follows confirmation. Recordings are provided, but live attendance is required for a certificate.

Follow the transformation of rough diamond into a polished stone through crystallography, planning and manufacturing. Visual rough-diamond models and marking exercises show how crystal structure informs cutting decisions; participants also work with rough and polished specimens. The course explains processing stages, factory equipment, current manufacturing techniques and differences between production centres, with mathematical exercises relating rough-stone costs to polished outcomes. 9 November, 10:00–16:00; Europe/London (GMT, UTC+00:00). In-person course limited to 20 places. Conference-delegate prices: £215 for Gem-A members and £225 for non-members, reduced from £299. Non-member booking uses Eventbrite; members and students use the Gem-A dashboard. Tickets are non-refundable.

This practical introduction develops reproducible scientific workflows using Nextflow. Participants learn channels, processes, operators, executors, configuration, parameters and reusable modules, then apply them to an RNA-seq pipeline. The course shows how containerized dependencies and the dataflow programming model support execution on local machines, clusters and cloud infrastructure. Familiarity with Linux or macOS and a command shell is strongly recommended. Online sessions run 09:30–13:30 CET and the listed fee is €380.

Two separate one-day workshops connect laboratory testing with clinical interpretation through expert presentations, practical cases and interactive discussion. The Haemostasis & Thrombosis Workshop on 10 November covers von Willebrand factor assays, rare bleeding disorders, variability in point-of-care coagulation tests, viscoelastic testing and clot curves. Sessions also address heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, ADAMTS13 and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, endothelial activation, platelet testing and external quality assurance. The Haemoglobinopathy Workshop on 12 November examines thalassaemias, haemoglobin variants and sickle cell disorders. It covers diagnostic and screening approaches, complex cases in antenatal, paediatric and transfusion settings, early-eluting alpha-thalassaemia markers, regional testing practices and newborn haemoglobin studies. Participants will discuss how to interpret quality-assurance reports and improve laboratory practice. Both days run 09:00–16:45 AEDT (Australia/Sydney, UTC+11), with registration from 08:45. There is no workshop on 11 November. Intended participants include medical scientists, clinicians, pathology trainees and laboratory managers. In-person tickets are A$357.50 per day and virtual tickets A$220 per day. Register separately for each day; virtual access details are supplied before the event.