On-site Course – 3rd Edition
Anatomical Network Analysis (AnNA)
March 22nd-26th, Barcelona (Spain)
Systems Biology
Introduction to R
Next Edition 2021
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Course Overview
Anatomical Network Analysis (AnNA) is a framework for quantitatively characterizing the topological organization of anatomical systems using tools from Network Theory. AnNA is emerging as a new tool to identify developmental constraints, measuring morphological complexity and modularity, building morphospaces, and modelling the growth of anatomical structures.
This course is entitled to teach the main concepts of AnNA. Students will learn the basics of network analysis applied to morphological and anatomical systems: gathering information, building network models, analysing them, and interpret the outcomes of their analysis. This course combines theoretical introductions and practical exercises using the free and open-source software R and RStudio.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own data for practicing and for the supervised project session; anatomical networks will be provided by the instructors if needed.
This course is addressed to PhD students, postdocs and senior researchers.
REQUIREMENTS
Graduate or postgraduate degree in Biological, Biomedical or Paleobiological Sciences. A basic knowledge/interest in anatomy and/or morphology is required.
All participants must bring their own personal laptop (Windows, Mac OS, or Linux). Previous knowledge in R is not required but recommended, participants should install R and RStudio before the course (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-u_7vdag-0).
Contact
LOCATION
Centre de Restauració i Interpretació Paleontològica (CRIP)
C/ Mestre J. Lladós, 1
08781 Els Hostalets de Pierola, Barcelona (Spain)
DATE
March 22nd-26th
LANGUAGE
English
COURSE LENGTH & ECTS
35 hours on-site.
This course is equivalent to 2 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) at the Life Science Zurich Graduate School.
The recognition of ECTS by other institutions depends on each university or school.
PLACES
Places are limited to 16 participants and will be occupied by strict registration order.
Participants who have completed the course will receive a certificate at the end of it.
Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Spain
Pompeu Fabra University
Spain
Program
Daily Program
Monday. Principles of Anatomical Network Analysis, by Dr. Diego Rasskin-Gutman and Dr. Borja Esteve-Altava.
- Introductions and course overview.
- Conceptual basis and history of anatomical networks analysis (AnNA).
- Levels of organization: Differences between AnNA and morphometrics.
- Introduction to network theory.
- Types of nodes, links, and networks.
- Basic network parameters.
- Organization of the network’s topology (regular, random, small-world, scale-free, hierarchy).
- Introduction to R.
- Getting R and RStudio ready to work.
Tuesday. Creating and Analysing Anatomical Networks in R, by Dr. Diego Rasskin-Gutman and Dr. Borja Esteve-Altava.
- The igraph package and the igraph object.
- Create the simplest networks.
- Manipulate igraph objects and attributes.
- Create anatomical networks from data (students are welcome to bring their own data).
- Using AnNA to study morphological complexity, integration, and modularity.
- The meaning of being small-world, scale-free, and hierarchical in morphology.
- Calculate network parameters.
- Small-world, scale-free, and hierarchical organization in networks.
Wednesday. Null models and Modularity, by Dr. Diego Rasskin-Gutman and Dr. Borja Esteve-Altava.
- Introduction to null models and morphospaces.
- Create null network models in R (random, small-world, scale-free, proximity, Gabriel).
- Generative connecto-spaces (AnNA + morphospaces).
- Introduction to morphological modularity.
- Identification, validation, and comparison of anatomical network modules using igraph.
- Introducing OSLOM (Order Statistics Local Optimization Method).
- A note on using network algorithms in morphometrics to find modules.
Thursday. Students Projects, supervised by Dr. Borja Esteve-Altava.
- Student will work in their own projects (in groups of 2-3 persons).
Friday. Projects Presentations and Discussion, supervised by Dr. Borja Esteve-Altava.
- Each team will present its work to the group for discussion and round table (15’ + 10’ Q&A).
- AnNA discussion and brainstorming.
- Course feedback.
Fees
- Course Fee
- Early bird (until December 31st, 2020):
- 576 € *
(460.8 € for Ambassador Institutions)
- Regular (after December 31st, 2020):
- 695 € *
(556 € for Ambassador Institutions)
- This includes course material, coffee breaks and lunches (VAT included).
* Participants from companies/industry will have an extra charge of 100 €.
- Course Fee + Accommodation Package
- Early bird (until December 31st, 2020):
- 906 € *
(790.8 € for Ambassador Institutions)
- Regular (after December 31st, 2020):
- 1025 € *
(886 € for Ambassador Institutions)
- This includes course material, coffee breaks, transportation from and to Barcelona, accommodation from Sunday to Friday, breakfasts, lunches and dinners (VAT included).
* Participants from companies/industry will have an extra charge of 100 €.
You can check the list of Ambassador Institutions. If you want your institution to become a Transmitting Science Ambassador please contact us at communication@transmittingscience.com
Schedule
Course Schedule
Participants will make their own way
- Monday to Thursday:
- 9:30 to 13:30 Lessons.
- 13:30 to 15:00 Lunch (included).
- 15:00 to 18:00 Lessons.
- Friday:
- 9:30 to 13:30 Lessons.
- 13:30 to 15:00 Lunch (included).
The class schedule is approximate; it is possible that the content of one day may run into the next and a working day may be longer than advertised.
Course + Accommodation Package Schedule
- Sunday:
- 19:00 Meeting point in Plaza Catalunya (Barcelona) to take the bus to Els Hostalets de Pierola. If you are planning to arrive later, you can find more information on how to get there.
- 20:00 Registration in the Hostel.
- 20:30 Dinner.
More information
- Monday to Thursday:
- 08:00 to 09:00 Breakfast
- 9:30 to 13:30 Lessons
- 13:30 to 15:00 Lunch (included)
- 15:00 to 18:00 Lessons
- 20:00 Dinner
- Friday:
- 8:00 to 9:00 Breakfast.
- 9:30 to 13:30 Lessons
- 13:30 to 15:00 Lunch
- 15:00 Meeting point in the Hostel to take the bus to Barcelona city.
- 16:30 Arrival at Plaza Catalunya (Barcelona).
The class schedule is approximate; it is possible that the content of one day may run into the next and a working day may be longer than advertised.
Accommodation
If you choose the Accommodation Package you will be hosted at the Youth Hostel Can Roviralta, in shared dormitories (common bathrooms), although you will only share rooms with other course participants (male or female only).
If you prefer to stay in a single room, you can do so with a supplementary charge.
More information
The Accommodation Package includes transportation from the centre of Barcelona to the venue and back, at the start and end of the course, respectively. The trip takes around 1 hour each way by private bus.
If you do not wish to take the Accommodation Package, you can find a few other options in near by towns or in Barcelona city. However, please be aware that from the centre of Barcelona city it takes about one hour by car and one hour and a half by public transport to arrive to Els Hostalets de Pierola. Course participants will find that staying in Els Hostalets de Pierola is more convenient.
Funding
Discounts are not cumulative and apply only on the Course Fee. We offer the possibility of paying in two instalments (contact courses@transmittingscience.com).
5 % Discount
Former participants will have a 5 % discount on the Course Fee.
20 % Discount
20 % discount on the Course Fee is offered for members of some organizations (Ambassador Institutions). If you want to apply to this discount please indicate it in the Registration form (proof will be asked later).
40 % Discount
Unemployed scientists living in the country were the course will be held, as well as PhD students based in that country without any grant or scholarship to develop their PhD, could benefit from a 40 % discount on the Course Fee. If you want to ask for this discount, please contact the course coordinator. That would apply for a maximum of 2 places and they will be covered by strict inscription order.
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Transmitting Science started in 2012 to manage specialized courses and workshops we were already organizing within our own partnerships. Up to date, we have already run more than 120 advanced courses in different topics related to Life Sciences.
All the courses are self-financed with participant’s fees and we strive to keep the fees to the minimum necessary for running them.
Our courses cover a wide range of research methods and are aimed at postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and established academics from all over the world.
