Unlocking Bacterial Genomics: A Workshop on WGS and Metagenomic Analyses

Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26, 2025 (8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Workshop Registration Fees

  • Members TBD
  • Non-Members TBD
  • Late-fee TBD

IAFP Workshop Cancellation Policy: Registration fees, less a $100 administration fee and any
applicable bank charges, will be refunded for written cancellations received by June 2, 2025.  No
refunds will be made after July 2, however, the registration may be transferred to a colleague
who is NOT currently registered with written notification.  Registrations cannot be carried to any future meetings.

Photo Policy:  We occasionally use photographs of attendees in our promotional material.  By
attending, you agree to such usage.

Other:  Any modifications to payment method will incur a $25 processing fee.

Refunds will be processed when received.

Workshop rates are available for students upon request. 

Workshop Description

Join us for an exciting and informative workshop that will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills to leverage the power of whole genome and metagenomic sequencing for enhanced understanding and decision-making in the field of food safety and bacterial research.

In today's data-driven world, the wealth of sequence data available for foodborne pathogens and environmental microbiomes is growing exponentially. By harnessing this data, we can unlock crucial insights into pathogenicity, risk assessment, traceability, and more. This comprehensive two-day workshop will guide you through the complex process of analyzing genome and metagenomic data, from quality control and assembly to phylogenetic analysis and data visualization.

Through a combination of lectures and hands-on sessions, you will dive deep into various aspects of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, including long-read and short-read sequencing, as well as metagenomic sequencing. We will provide sessions on technology, data analysis, and data interpretation that the FDA, CORE, Compliance, and CDC employ for outbreak investigations and regulatory decision-making.

You will learn how to navigate the analysis workflows and utilize open-source tools such as GalaxyTrakr and the Pathogen Detection Website to perform quality control, assembly, build phylogenetic trees, and identify genes of interest, including those associated with antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and stress response.

By the end of the workshop, you will have gained invaluable knowledge and practical skills that can be directly implemented in your own laboratory for the analysis of whole genome and metagenomic sequencing data. Don't miss this opportunity to stay at the forefront of bacterial genomics research and enhance your capabilities in pathogen detection, characterization, and risk assessment.  

Workshop Instructors

  • Jennifer Beal, U.S. FDA, College Park, MD, USA
  • Laura Gieraltowski, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Leslie Hintz, U.S. FDA, College Park, MD, USA
  • Kathryn Judy, U.S. FDA, College Park, MD, USA
  • Bill Klimke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
  • Padmini Ramachandran, FDA, College Park, MD, USA

Workshop Organizers

  • Maria Hoffmann, U.S. FDA, Washington, D.C., USA
  • Padmini Ramachandran, FDA, College Park, MD, USA