From Swab to Server: Testing, Sequencing, and Sharing During a Pandemic

This three-week COG-Train course delves into the journey from swabbing to data processing, emphasizing the importance of testing and sampling in understanding the spread of diseases like Covid-19. The course aims to teach participants about the transformation of samples into datasets and how to handle this data to address public health concerns during a pandemic. The role of sampling strategies in scientific research is also explored, with expert educators guiding students through different methods and their proper applications. Additionally, the course delves into the ethics of data sharing, particularly the sensitive information contained within sample data, and discusses methods for protecting personal information. The ability to link genomic data sets with clinical and epidemiological data is highlighted as a valuable tool for understanding the effects of different variants, particularly in the case of Covid-19. COG-Train equips participants with the knowledge and skills to link multiple datasets together, enhancing their understanding of Covid-19 and enabling them to address public health concerns effectively.