The Metagenomic Pizza: a simple recipe to introduce bioinformatics to the layman

Authors

  • Marie-Claude Blatter SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva
  • Vivienne Baillie Gerritsen SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva
  • Patricia M. Palagi SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva
  • Lydie Bougueleret SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva
  • Ioannis Xenarios SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva and Geneva University, Geneva

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14806/ej.22.0.864

Keywords:

education, bioinformatics activities, species identification, metagenomics, human genome

Abstract

The ‘Metagenomic  Pizza‘ workshop is  a bioinformatics-based activity which allows to identify the species present in a pizza thanks to their DNA by using bioinformatics tools.  The workshop includes pen and pencil activities. Since 2013, it has been successfully offered to over 2,000 people from the age of nine up. It is an ideal way for them to understand the key role played by bioinformatics in the life sciences today and as well as some of the applications of current research in metagenomics.

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Published

2016-04-19

Issue

Vol. 22

Section

Reports

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