Udemy – Learn NGS Variant Calling: A Hands-on Bioinformatics Course

Unlock the secrets of the genome with hands-on training in variant calling! This course gives you practical skills to analyze next-generation sequencing (NGS) data using industry-standard tools like FreeBayes, Samtools, and R, all within a Linux environment. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or clinician, this course empowers you to process FASTQ data, perform variant calling, visualize VCFs, and extract biological insights using open-source pipelines.

What You’ll Learn:

• Linux for Bioinformatics: Learn essential commands and file systems for data handling and tool usage.
• NGS Variant Calling Basics: Understand confidence, quality metrics, and key concepts in variant analysis.
• Pipeline Setup: Download datasets, prepare your analysis environment, and index genomes.
• Data Preprocessing: Run FastQC, trim reads, align with BWA, and prepare BAM files.
• Variant Calling with FreeBayes: Perform SNP and indel calling and filter low-quality variants.
• Visualization and Interpretation: View variants in IGV and interpret biological impact.
• R for Genomic Analysis: Set up R and use it to explore and visualize variant data.
• Assignments and Quizzes: Test your knowledge with assessments after each section.

• Biology and medical students who want to gain hands-on skills in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and variant analysis.
• Researchers and lab professionals looking to analyze genomic data independently without relying on a bioinformatics team.
• Beginner bioinformaticians who want to build their first variant calling pipeline using Linux and R.
• Healthcare and biotech professionals seeking to understand variant data for clinical genomics, diagnostics, or personalized medicine.
• Educators and instructors who want a complete, ready-to-teach variant calling workflow for academic or training purposes.
• Anyone curious about how DNA variants are discovered, filtered, visualized, and interpreted from raw sequencing data.