Advanced course in genomics and clinical microbiology

Who is it for?

The course is designed for anyone interested in the infection specialties—in particular specialist registrars and consultants in medical microbiology or infectious diseases; research workers; and clinical scientists. On our course there were 14 participants from a wide range of backgrounds, which included five international attendees.

Where is it held?

It has been running since 2005 and is held each January at the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge.

Why did you do it?

The future of microbiology will be molecular. Certain aspects of clinical microbiology, such as screening for meticillin resistant Staphyloccocus aureus, are already moving away from agar based methods to real time polymerase chain reaction, enabling rapid diagnosis for the patient and effective implementation of necessary infection control precautions. Typing methods are also being used to follow the transmission of infectious agents and solve outbreaks of disease.

Novel molecular technology has much to offer the diagnostic bacteriologist, and we will surely be seeing more of it in the hospital setting in the near future. As this field already forms part of our core microbiology training, we felt that it was important to keep up with the latest developments, and also we wanted to begin to explore possible research opportunities.

This is the only course in the United Kingdom that offers teaching on this subject. The course holds continuing professional development accreditation (41 credits) approved by the Royal College of Pathologists.

What did it cover?

We received hands-on laboratory training in the key methodologies of molecular bacteriology, including 16SRNA polymerase chain reaction; real time polymerase chain reaction; variable number tandem repeats; multi-locus sequencing typing; and bioinformatics. Each laboratory experiment was linked to a clinical application, which enabled us to put our learning into context. For example, as a group we had to identify the source of an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a university in the United Kingdom by using multi-locus sequencing typing.

Sessions in the laboratory were interspersed with seminars explaining the principles of these methods. We were also given demonstrations on how to analyse results using computer databases, how to identify strains or species, and how to calculate complex relationships between strains. In addition, there were lectures by international scientists on research areas that use the latest technology and bioinformatics, covering topics such as tracking anthrax infections and the virulence of tuberculosis.

How much did it cost?

The course is heavily subsidised by the Wellcome Trust and costs £675 (€800; $1000) for academic and clinical applicants. This covers accommodation and three meals a day; it should be noted you are required to be residential throughout the course. There are also bursaries (up to 50% of the fee) available from the Wellcome Trust, which are awarded to UK and overseas applicants.

Was it worth it?

This was an interesting course, which provided excellent practical laboratory work that was of direct clinical relevance. We have since recommended the course to many of our fellow microbiologists. The laboratory work itself was very satisfying and it was good to be able to get back to basic science while also learning new skills. The course is particularly suited to medical microbiology trainees. Having attended the course, we now have a better understanding of the work performed in reference laboratories, and how we might move our own laboratory technology in the right direction.

Further information

Advanced Courses Administrator, Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK; email: advancedcourses{at}hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk; www.wellcome.ac.uk/advancedcourses.