Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core
The Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core in the Department of Biostatistics provides a single point of contact for Harvard researchers seeking bioinformatics analysis services, training and platform development. Specializing in applications of high-throughput sequencing analysis, core staff aid researchers with the management, integration, and contextual analysis of biological data, supporting the advancement of research and ultimately, aiming to improve human health.
401 Park Drive
Level 3 East
Boston, MA 02215
Training Schedule
Below your can find our training schedules for our upcoming offerings. Please note that dates may be subject to change.
Current Topics in Bioinformatics
Our Current Topics in Bioinformatics modules are generally held on the third Wednesday of the month and are open to all members of the greater Harvard community. There is no registration fee and the modules are held via Zoom. Our upcoming schedule for our Current Topics in Bioinformatics can be found below:
| Module | Pre-requisite | Date | Time | Registration Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations in Shell | None | 9/17/25 | 1-4pm | Register here |
| Needle in a Haystack | Foundations in Shell | 10/15/25 | 1-4pm | Register here |
| Tips and Tricks for the O2 Cluster | Foundations in Shell | 11/19/25 | 1-4pm | Register here |
| Foundations in Python | None | 12/17/25 | 1-4pm | Register here |
| Foundations in Quarto | Foundations in R | 1/21/26 | 9:30am-12:30pm | TBA |
| Interact with your data using RShiny | Foundations in R | 2/25/26 | 9:30am-12:30pm | TBA |
| Publication Perfect | Foundations in R | 3/18/26 | 9:30am-12:30pm | TBA |
| “Track Changes” with your code: An Introduction to Git and GitHub | Foundations in R | 4/15/26 | 9:30am-12:30pm | TBA |
Basic Data Skills
Our Basic Data Skills workshops are designed to develop entry-level proficiency in using the shell command-line or R with the aim of preparing participants for our Advanced Topics in the Analysis of High-throughput Sequencing (NGS) Data workshops that rely on these skills. There is no expectation of prior knowledge on the topic. Our upcoming schedule for these workshops is:
| Workshop | Dates | Time | Location | Registration Page* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to R | February 10, 13, 17 & 20, 2026 | 10am-12pm | In-person | Register here |
| Introduction to Python | April 14, 17, 21 & 24, 2026 | 9:30am-12pm | Zoom | TBA |
* Note that registration on the Registration Page will open up 3 weeks prior to the workshop.
Advanced Topics in the Analysis of High-throughput Sequencing (NGS) Data
Our Advanced Topics in the Analysis of High-throughput Sequencing (NGS) Data workshops provide training on experimental design and analysis of various bioinformatics topics. Our upcoming schedule for these workshops is:
| Workshop | Pre-requisite* | Dates | Time | Location | Registration Page** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pseudobulk and related approaches for scRNA-seq analysis | Introduction to R | October 21, 24, 28 & 31, 2025 | 10am-12pm | Zoom | Register here |
| Introduction to Differential Gene Expression Analysis | Introduction to R | November 14, 18, 21 & 25, 2025 | 10am-12pm | Zoom | Register here |
| Introduction to scRNA-seq | Introduction to R | March 6, 10, 13 & 17, 2026 | 9:30am-12pm | In-person | Register here |
| Introduction to Spatial Transcriptomics | Introduction to R | May 5, 8, 12 & 15, 2026 | TBA | Zoom | TBA |
* Pre-requisite can be waived with sufficient prior knowledge.
** Note that registration on the Registration Page will open up 3 weeks prior to the workshop.
Boot Camps
Our week-long boot camps are designed to equip participants with the basic data and analytical skills to tackle a next-generation sequencing analysis.
| Boot Camp | Dates | Times | Location | Registration Page* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells to Insights: An Introduction to R and single cell RNA-seq analysis | December 8 – 12 2025 | 9:30am-12pm & 1pm-3pm | Zoom | Register here |
| R You Ready to Visualize? An Introduction to R, ggplot2 & Shiny | March 23 – 27 2026 | 9:30am-12pm & 1pm-3pm | Zoom | TBA |
| Slide Into Spatial: An Introduction Tissue Transcriptomics with R in Seurat | June 22-26 2026 | 9:30am-12pm & 1pm-3pm | Zoom | TBA |
* Note that the Registration Page will open up approximately 3 months prior to the workshop.
Pricing
Pricing information for our Basic Data Skills workshops, Advanced Topics in the Analysis of High-throughput Sequencing (NGS) Data workshops and Boot Camps can be found here.