This virtual training workshop is part of the Genetic Epidemiology and Bioinformatics Training Programme (GenEpi-BioTrain). It's organised as part of Wave 1 dedicated to Influenza and SARS-CoV-2. 

The aim of this virtual training is to introduce participants to theoretical and practical aspects of analysing SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Participants will get insights into the laboratory work, the interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater and the variant analysis with examples from the Danish SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance.

Duration: Three half-days on 20, 21 and 22 August 2024 from 10:00 to 14:00 (CET)

Location: Online - Find the link after enrolment. 

Audience: Public health microbiologists and bioinformaticians interested in discussing concepts of wastewater surveillance, data quality control, measuring viral concentrations in wastewater and normalising and interpreting levels of SARS-CoV-2. 

Objectives:  

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the concept of wastewater surveillance.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance.
  
• Describe the laboratory workflow for measuring viral concentrations in wastewater, including relevant quality control measures.
• Describe how wastewater samples can be prepared for sequencing.
  
• Discuss how SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater can be normalised and interpreted.
  
• Have a basic understanding of the analysis steps (including quality control) to investigate lineage abundance from sequencing data using bioinformatic command line tools.
• Discuss how wastewater analysis can complement other types of surveillance.

Participation: This course is open for public enrolment from 10 to 24 January 2024.