In this course, we collectively work on student's real (post-QE) projects and data, to derive, improve, or critically scrutinize models or data analysis techniques, to suggest alternatives, or possibly discover new interesting structures in the data.
Specifically, the aims of this course are as follows:
-) Learn to choose an appropriate model or data analysis method for the project.
-) Learn, try out and teach other students about new data analysis approaches.
-) Deal with limitations of real data (data size, normalizations, lack of calibration etc.).
-) Learn to communicate with people with whom you share data-analysis background, but not the biological topic or system; much in contrast to the typical case.
Since this course deals with real-world problems and is not a theory course, there are typically no “absolutely correct†solutions. Rather, the point is to give suggestions and try out and evaluate alternative approaches. The role of the Instructors is to evaluate the suggestions from the group and the student to identify and make precise the tasks that the student should do as a homework and report on until the next cycle.
Target group: Students with strong quantitative background working on biological problems. This course is targeted specifically to support students with math / coding / physics / engineering background working on life-science problems, typically in life-science or interdisciplinary groups. Students with life-science backgrounds can register only if they have sufficient knowledge of math and coding (see Prerequisites).
Prerequisites: Students should be well-versed in coding and some data analysis, being able to write their own numerical code, simulation, or scripts and not just use existing packages. The required level of background is the same as for taking the DSSC Track Core course. This course does not teach basic modeling or basic coding to biology students!
Evaluation: Participation (100%)
Teaching format: One slot per week, for 13 weeks. Every week, the group comprising up to 6 students and the Instructor(s), focuses on one or two student's projects. With 6 students, it takes ~3 weeks to cycle through each student's project, and the class will go through 3-4 such cycles.
In the first cycle, each student presents their project, focusing less on the biological issues and more on the data / data analysis / modeling / aim side of the project. For the initial presentation, the student also prepares a short, 2-page summary of the relevant information of the project (following a structure prescribed by the Instructor) that will serve throughout the course as an "abstract" for that project. After the presentation, the group prepares a list of key questions or suggestions to be clarified or quantified by the student until next meeting, and gives general first-impression feedback.
In subsequent cycles, students present updates on their analysis including novel analyses that were proposed, and the instructors and the group give iterative feedback.
ECTS: 2 Year: 2022
Track segment(s):
Elective
Teacher(s):
Gasper Tkacik
Teaching assistant(s):
If you want to enroll to this course, please click: REGISTER
- Teacher: Fabrizio Lombardi
- Teacher: Gasper Tkacik