This hands-on session offers a beginner-friendly introduction to metagenomic analysis using the MOTHUR tool within the Galaxy platform. Participants will learn the fundamentals of metagenomics, including how it is used to study microbial community composition, diversity, and functional potential from sequencing data. The workshop will guide attendees through key analysis steps such as quality control of raw reads, OTU clustering, taxonomic classification, and diversity analysis—all within Galaxy’s user-friendly, web-based interface. Designed for those with no prior bioinformatics or coding experience, this session provides both foundational concepts and practical skills to help researchers confidently analyse metagenomic data in their own work.
Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed for students and researchers in the life sciences who are already familiar with the Galaxy platform and want to expand their skills in metagenomic data analysis. It is ideal for those working in microbiology, microbial ecology, environmental genomics, or related fields who wish to enhance their bioinformatics expertise through hands-on practice with metagenomic workflows. Prior experience with Galaxy is recommended, allowing the session to focus on advanced metagenomic techniques, including quality control, OTU/ASV clustering, taxonomic profiling, functional annotation, and diversity analysis using sequencing datasets.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, participants will:
- Gain an understanding of metagenomic analysis using Galaxy Australia
- Become familiar with the metagenomic tools on Galaxy platform
Workshop Topics
- Quality Control of metagenomic data
- Filter and classify metagenomic data
- Diversity analysis
- Visualization