About the Workshop
Nanopore sequencing continues to transform how we investigate biological systems. Since its early adoption for biosecurity and pathogen surveillance, the technology has matured rapidly, with advances in chemistry, flow cell design, and analytical tools opening up applications across pathology, environmental genomics, antimicrobial and agrochemical resistance profiling, genome assembly, transcriptome assembly and more.
This three-day intensive workshop, hosted and sponsored by the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University and co-led with ANU collaborators, builds on the success of our 2023 Nanopore Sequencing for Biosecurity workshop. This time, we are putting participants at the centre of the programme. Rather than prescribing a fixed curriculum, we want to hear from you: what are you working on, and what do you need to learn?
Your responses during the Expression of Interest phase will directly shape the workshop content, ensuring the programme is relevant, practical, and matched to participant needs.
What to Expect
The workshop will combine wet-lab sequencing and hands-on bioinformatics across three full days in Curtin University’s super lab and computer lab facilities. The programme will cover:
- Wet lab (super lab sessions)
- Hands-on sequencing using current Oxford Nanopore protocols
- Sample preparation, library construction, and live sequencing runs
- Quality control, troubleshooting, and best practices for different sample types
Please note that your interests will shape specific wet-lab topics gathered during the EOI phase.
- Data analysis (computer lab sessions)
- A beginner stream for those new to nanopore data analysis, covering foundational bioinformatics workflows, basecalling, and data interpretation in Galaxy
- An advanced stream for participants with existing bioinformatics experience, covering more complex analyses tailored to participant interests
- Community and knowledge sharing
- Q&A panel discussions with experienced nanopore users
- Opportunities to share your own applications and challenges
- Networking across institutions and disciplines
Specific session topics and the balance between wet-lab and dry-lab components will be confirmed after the EOI period closes, based on participant interests and experience levels.
Who Should Apply?
This workshop is designed for researchers, diagnosticians, biosecurity practitioners, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and early-career researchers across the agricultural, environmental, and other biological sciences who want to build or extend their capabilities in nanopore sequencing. Whether you are considering your first sequencing run or looking to push into more advanced applications, we want to hear from you.
Registration and Costs
The registration fee is $500, kept low to encourage participation by undergraduate students and early-career researchers. A limited number of bursaries are available to cover registration fees.
Expression of Interest
EOIs are now open and will close on 31 July 2026.
We are using this EOI phase to understand who is interested and, just as importantly, what you want to learn. The EOI form will ask you about:
- Your research area and how you plan to use nanopore sequencing
- Your current experience level (from complete beginner to advanced user)
- The specific topics or applications you are most interested in
This information will be used to design the workshop programme and assign participants to the appropriate wet-lab and data-analysis streams. The workshop can accommodate up to 70 attendees.
Applicants will be notified of the programme outline and sent a registration link in early September 2026.
Logistics
- Dates: 17-19 November 2026 (three full days, approximately 9:00 am to 5:00-6:00 pm
- Venue: Curtin University, Bentley Campus, Perth, Western Australia
- Catering: Morning tea and lunch will be provided each day, along with food and drinks for the social event on November 18th. Dietary requirements can be noted at registration.
- What to bring: Details on computing requirements and any pre-workshop preparation will be sent to registered participants.
Hosted and Sponsored by
Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University
For enquiries, contact fatima.naim@curtin.edu.au
