Program Overview

Introduction to the Train-MELIS Program

The Train-MELIS program is a two-year course training system designed to enhance the academic and professional skills of MELIS predoctoral researchers. The program consists of ten in-person courses that seek to develop and refine researchers' technical and data analysis competencies, while promoting the continuous learning required in science.

Program Structure and Duration

The in-person training program will run throughout the academic year, with specific training courses being offered during the first or second semesters. Each course will span one to four days, depending on the complexity of the topic and hands-on required time. The program will consist of:

• Lectures for foundational knowledge
• Hands-on workshops for practical application
• Interactive sessions to address specific research challenges

Courses Offered

Courses focus on practical, hands-on experience. The available courses are:

• Intro to Python with AI tools
• RNA-Seq with R
• Statistics with Python
• Cluster
• qPCR analysis
• Data management in cluster
• Nextflow and containers
• Nanopore intro
• GitHub
• Machine learning

Enrolment and Cost

In the 2025/26 academic year, courses are open to second and third-year MELIS PhD students (carrying out their research in a MELIS group). MELIS PhD students will have priority, and if there are any available spaces, they will be offered to MELIS postdocs. The courses are free of charge.

Certification

Participants will receive a certificate for completing the full two-year program, or for each individual course they finish.

Expectations from Trainees

Participants are expected to:

• Attend all sessions and engage fully in the courses they register for
• Complete all assigned tasks and activities
• Provide feedback to help improve future offerings

Evaluation and Feedback

Once the course has been finalized, participants will evaluate several aspects of the course through surveys to ensure that the course offerings remain relevant and valuable to the MELIS community. Adjustments and improvements will be made based on feedback.

First Year Courses (2025/26)

The following courses are offered in the first year:

• Intro to Python with AI tools: 12, 14, 19, and 21 November 2025, 08:30-13:00
• RNA-Seq with R: 22 January 2026, 9:00-13:15
• Statistics with Python: 11, 13, 18, and 20 February 2026, 08:30-13:00
• Cluster: March 2026, TBA
• qPCR analysis: May 2026, TBA

Second Year Courses (2026/27)

The following courses are offered in the second year:

• Data management in cluster: TBA
• Nextflow and containers: October 2026, TBA
• Nanopore intro: January 2027, TBA
• GitHub: March 2027, TBA
• Machine learning: May 2027, TBA