August 3, 2026
Whether you’re new to bioinformatics or looking to build confidence analyzing sequencing data, Bioinformatics for Beginners was designed with you in mind. This beginner-friendly training series introduces core bioinformatics concepts through a practical bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis workflow, giving NIH researchers hands-on experience with the tools and techniques commonly used to analyze transcriptomics data.
Over three modules, participants progress from foundational computational skills to interpreting biological results. The series emphasizes practical experience that can be applied to a wide range of research projects while requiring no prior bioinformatics experience.
The first two modules of the 2026 series have now concluded, but it’s not too late to get started. Recordings, presentation slides, and course materials remain available online, allowing researchers to review the content at their own pace before joining the final module.
Module 1: Unix and Biowulf introduced participants to the NIH High Performance Computing (HPC) environment, Biowulf, where they learned essential Unix commands, file management, data transfer, and job submission techniques needed to work efficiently on the cluster. Module 2: Bulk RNA-Seq Analysis built on those skills by covering sequencing quality assessment, read trimming, genome alignment, and gene expression quantification, providing a complete workflow for processing bulk RNA-Seq data.
Beginning August 11, the series concludes with Module 3: Differential Expression and Pathway Analysis. In this four-session online module, participants will move from processed gene expression data to biological discovery by learning the principles of differential gene expression analysis, functional enrichment, Gene Ontology, and pathway analysis. Through hands-on exercises using the web-based platform iDEP, researchers will gain practical experience identifying differentially expressed genes, interpreting biological pathways, and generating meaningful insights from RNA-Seq datasets.
Module 3 includes the following sessions:
- Introduction to Differential Gene Expression Analysis (RNA-Seq) – Tuesday, August 11, 2026
- Differential Expression Analysis with iDEP – Thursday, August 13, 2026
- Introduction to Gene Ontology and Pathway Analysis – Tuesday, August 18, 2026
- Pathway Analysis and Pre-ranked GSEA with iDEP – Thursday, August 20, 2026
There are no prerequisites for this course, making it an excellent starting point for NIH researchers interested in learning bioinformatics and bulk RNA-Seq analysis. Hands-on sessions utilize NIH HPC Student Accounts, which are provided to a limited number of registered participants and require access to the NIH VPN.
To learn more about the Bioinformatics for Beginners series, access recordings and course materials from Modules 1 and 2, visit the course website: https://bioinformatics.ccr.cancer.gov/docs/bioinformatics-for-beginners-2026/. For more details on Module 3 including the registration link, use the following link: https://bioinformatics.ccr.cancer.gov/btep/courses/bioinformatics-for-beginners-rnaseq-with-renee-module-3-differential-expression-and-pathway-analysis.
– Alex Emmons, PhD (BTEP)
This topic spotlight was authored on August 3, 2026 and reflects the information available at that time. As content may evolve, please contact us at ncibtep@nih.gov to obtain the most current information.