ConGen2025 Schedule

ConGen > ConGen2025 Schedule

(updated September 30, 2024)

Course Format

The Recent Advances in Conservation Genetics (ConGen Global) 2025 is an intensive 9-day practicum focused on applying genomic technologies to the conservation of biodiversity. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on tutorials, participants will learn the theory and practice of evolutionary and population genomic analyses for conservation science.

Faculty from around the world will teach and share their research, interact with participants, and contribute their unique perspectives. This course has been running since 1996, with each edition held in different global locations. The 2025 edition will be hosted at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Otjiwarongo, Namibia.

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive survey of the theories, methods, and software used in conservation genomics. Participants will learn bioinformatics pipelines and algorithms for analyzing next-generation sequencing data. Key topics covered include:

  • Study design for conservation genomics projects
  • Genome sequencing and next-generation sequencing methods
  • Genome assembly and annotation
  • Read mapping and variant discovery
  • Genetic structure analysis
  • Genetic diversity and inbreeding
  • Identifying deleterious variants
  • Demographic history estimation

Each evening will feature keynote-style lectures by guest faculty on their cutting-edge research in conservation biology and genomics.

Daily Schedule (Updated Sept 27)

Morning lectures, afternoon tutorials, and keynote evening lectures will be held in the CCF Lecture Hall.
Note: All times are in Central Africa Time (CAT).

Sunday, January 5, 2025

  • 12:00 – 6:00 pm: Arrival and check-in, shuttle pick-up from Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH)
  • 6:00 – 7:30 pm: Dinner
  • 7:30 – 9:30 pm: Introductions, 3-minute talks + 2 slides per student

Monday, January 6, 2025

  • 8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
  • 9:00 – 9:30 am: Welcome and overview (Steve O’Brien & faculty)
  • 9:30 – 10:00 am: Walk-through of course topics (Klaus Koepfli, Taras Oleksyk)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: The Cheetah Restoration Project (Jhala Yadvendradev)
  • 11:00 – 11:55 am: Lecture: Ecology of Southern African Cheetahs (Matti)
  • 12:00 – 1:00 pm: Lunch
  • 1:00 – 2:30 pm: Tutorial: Introduction to Galaxy, tools TBD
  • 3:00 – 4:30 pm: Tutorial: Next-generation sequencing and quality control, tools TBD
  • 4:30 – 5:00 pm: CCF Demo: Scat Dogs (Tim Hofmann)
  • 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Dinner
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: The Global Cheetah Conservation Program (Laurie Marker)

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

  • 8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: Black-footed Ferret Conservation Genomics (Klaus Koepfli)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: Functional Genomics of Whole Genome Sequences (Agostinho Antunes)
  • 11:00 – 11:55 am: Lecture: Genetic Ecology and Natural History of Sharks (Mahmood Shivji)
  • 12:00 – 1:00 pm: Lunch
  • 1:00 – 3:00 pm: Demonstration and Lecture: Next-generation Sequencing Technologies (Mike Dean)
  • 3:30 – 4:00 pm: CCF Demo: Livestock Guarding Dogs (Calum O’Flaherty)
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: The Earth BioGenome Project (Harris Lewin)

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

  • 8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: Rhinos in Etosha (Abigail Guerier)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: Non-invasive Genetics and Genomics (Anne Schmidt-Kunzel)
  • 11:00 – 11:55 am: Lecture: Parrots of the Caribbean (Taras Oleksyk)
  • 1:00 – 5:00 pm: Genome annotation tutorials, tools TBD
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: DNA Individualization Forensics of Rhinos of Southern Africa (Cindy Harper)

Thursday, January 9, 2025

  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Open Session
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: Evolutionary and Conservation Genomics of Neotropical Carnivores (Eduardo Eizirik)
  • 11:00 – 11:55 am: Lecture: Policy for Sample/DNA Transport (Peter Dratch)
  • 1:00 – 5:00 pm: Read mapping and variant calling tutorials, tools TBD
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: The World’s Tiger Conservation Crisis: A Genomics Perspective (Shu-Jin Luo)

Friday, January 10, 2025

  • 9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Field day: Game drive at CCF with bag lunch
  • 4:30 – 9:00 pm: Sundowner – drinks and dinner

Saturday, January 11, 2025

  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: TBD (Audrey Majeske)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: African Elephants: Their Natural History (Al Roca)
  • 1:00 – 5:00 pm: Genome-wide heterozygosity and runs of homozygosity tutorials, tools TBD
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: Chiropteran Natural History and Functional Genomics (Emma Teeling)

Sunday, January 12, 2025

  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: Publishing Ethics and Women in Science (Laurie Goodman)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: ConGen Global: Then and Now (Steve O’Brien)
  • 1:00 – 4:30 pm: Genetic structure tutorials, tools TBD
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: The Natural History of the Mammalian Radiations (Bill Murphy)

Monday, January 13, 2025

  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: Continuous Gapless Genome Assemblies with Intercross Species Hybrids (Bill Murphy)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: History of Domestications (Carlos Driscoll)
  • 11:00 – 11:55 am: Workshop: How to Write a Scientific Manuscript and AI Rules (Laurie Goodman)
  • 1:00 – 5:00 pm: Demographic inference tutorials, tools TBD
  • 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Keynote Lecture: De-extinction Progress (Oliver Ryder)

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

  • 9:00 – 9:55 am: Lecture: Global Invertebrate Genome Alliance (Jose Lopez)
  • 10:00 – 10:55 am: Lecture: Humpback Whales and Cetacean Conservation Genomics (Scott Baker)
  • 1:00 – 4:30 pm: Deleterious variants tutorials, tools TBD
  • 6:00 – 10:00 pm: Dinner and Closing Party

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

  • 9:00 – 10:00 am: Group Discussion: Career Paths – Faculty
  • 10:00 – 11:00 am: Course evaluation and student comments
  • 11:00 – 12:00 pm: Check-out and departure: Shuttle departs for Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH), Windhoek, Namibia