Course Description: Overview of NGS Technologies & TB-Specific NGS Solutions

The Overview of NGS Technologies & TB-Specific NGS Solutions course introduces participants to the most common sequencing platforms and their applications in tuberculosis (TB) research and diagnostics. This course explores the differences between long-read and short-read sequencing technologies, targeted sequencing versus whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and the advantages of NGS over traditional genotyping methods.

This course is designed for researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals who want to understand the potential of NGS for TB applications. It provides theoretical insights into how DNA sequence analysis can inform TB surveillance, diagnostics, and drug resistance detection without requiring practical bioinformatics skills.

What You’ll Learn

• Introduction to NGS Platforms: Overview of Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, and PacBio sequencing technologies.
• Long-Read vs. Short-Read Sequencing: Understanding when to use each technology for TB research and clinical applications.
• Targeted Sequencing vs. Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS): Advantages and limitations in TB analysis.
• Benefits of NGS Over Traditional Genotyping Methods: How NGS improves TB strain characterization and drug resistance profiling.
• Implementing NGS in TB Laboratories: Wet lab perspectives on sample preparation, sequencing workflows, and data interpretation.

By the end of this course, participants will be familiar with the role of NGS in TB research and diagnostics, helping them make informed decisions about adopting sequencing technologies in their work.