However, pangenome graphs can be highly complex, making them difficult to visualize and interpret. A recent study published in BMC Bioinformatics introduces PG2 (PanGenoGrapher), an open-source, web-based tool designed to address this challenge. The source code and user guide are openly available on GitHub at https://github.com/iVis-at-Bilkent/pangenographer. A publicly accessible sample deployment is hosted at http://pg2.cs.bilkent.edu.tr. In addition, a demonstration video illustrating the primary use cases of PG2 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCd7-aGY6CQ.

PG2 combines advanced graph-layout algorithms with an interactive visualization platform. It allows researchers to explore genomic paths, identify variations, and examine relationships between different parts of a pangenome graph more easily.

This is important because visualization can play a major role in bioinformatics. When complex genomic information is presented clearly, researchers can more easily identify patterns, understand genetic variation, and generate new biological insights.

The development of PG2 represents a step toward making pangenome analysis more accessible and intuitive. As genomic datasets continue to grow and graph-based representations become more common, tools like PG2 can help researchers navigate this increasing complexity.

Ultimately, PG2 demonstrates how combining genomics, graph algorithms, and interactive visualization can make sophisticated biological data easier to understand and analyze.

Reference: Solun, G. K., Dogrusoz, U., Bingöl, Z., & Alkan, C. (2026). PG2: algorithms and a web-based tool for effective layout and visual analysis of pangenome graphs. BMC Bioinformatics. DOI: 10.1186/s12859-026-06555-4.

Scientists face a big challenge with the human genome. They can read its letters, but understanding their roles is much harder. Only about 2 percent of the genome codes for proteins. The rest acts like a huge control panel, deciding when and where genes turn on. With about 9 billion possible single-letter changes, testing them all in a lab just isn’t possible.

So, Google DeepMind asked a new question: what if we could predict what those changes might do?

This question led to the AlphaGenome Atlas (https://deepmind.google.com/science/alphagenome/atlas?), a detailed map of nearly every possible single-letter change in the human genome. Instead of checking each change one by one, researchers can use the Atlas to spot the ones most likely to matter. The AlphaGenome Variant Impact (AVI) score works like a trail marker, pointing scientists toward the changes worth a closer look.

This is where the Atlas gets especially useful. Much of the genome lies outside the protein-coding regions, where DNA acts as a switch or controller for genes. AlphaGenome lets researchers explore these areas and see how small changes could affect gene activity.

An atlas isn't the destination; it's a guide.

The AlphaGenome Atlas doesn’t replace experiments or solve every mystery. Instead, it helps scientists decide where to begin. From billions of possibilities, it turns the vast genetic landscape into something researchers can start to explore.

There are nine billion possibilities, a vast map, and maybe among them therWith nine billion possibilities and a huge map to explore, there may be clues hidden here to some of medicine’s toughest mysteries.

More at https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/DeepMind.com/Blog/alphagenome-atlas-a-predictive-map-of-every-possible-dna-letter-change-in-the-human-genome/alphagenome-atlas.pdf

Current projects in the Morota lab include developing kernel-based whole-genome prediction and kernel-based genome-wide association models, polygenic modeling of binary traits, reexamining the results from quantitative genetics analysis in light of functional annotation, and extending kernel methods (such as GBLUP and RKHS) specifically tailored for diverse types of emerging omics data.

In addition, candidates will be expected to leverage opportunities to interact with faculty in animal genetics and biometrics at the UNL in the areas of bioinformatics, breeding, functional genomics, quantitative genetics, and molecular genetics.

Candidates should have a B.S. or M.S. degree in quantitative disciplines with strong background and interest in statistical computing.
The starting date is Fall 2015.
For more information about research in the Morota lab at the UNL, visit: http://www.morotalab.org

A letter of interest in the position, C.V., and contact information for
three references should be emailed to Gota Morota at .
Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the
positions are filled. Informal inquiries are also welcome.

Also, please see: http://animalscience.unl.edu/anscprospectivegraduatestudents

Essential qualifications: First class M. Sc. in any branch of life sciences and qualified CSIR-UGC NET/GATE Examination.

Desirable qualifications: Practical experience in biochemical and biophysical studies of proteins

Emoluments: as per DBT norms

The project is tenable for two years, initially for one year.

Age: Below 28 years (relaxable in the case of SC/ST/OBC/women candidates)

Candidates are requested to bring two sets of complete applications on plain paper furnishing bio-data and copies of attested certificates along with originals (for verification) on the date of interview.

No TA/DA is admissible for candidates appearing at the interview.

Dr. Rajat Banerjee
Assistant Professor
Department of Biotechnology and
Dr. B. C. Guha Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
University College of Science
35, Ballygunge Circular Road
Kolkata 700019

Advertisement: www.caluniv.ac.in/news/jrf_biotech_2.pdf

Required Skills: no special skills required for this job post
Required Experience:
Experience in computer aided drug design and or biochemical testing of natural or synthetic compounds is desired
Required Education:
M.Sc. / M.Tech.

Required Job Profile:
Candidate must possess M.Sc. in bioinformatics or computational biology or biotechnology or any branch of life sciences or pharmacology or chemical sciences or M.Tech. in any branch of life sciences with at least fifty five percent marks with NET or GATE.

Desired Job Profile:
Candidate having experience in computer aided drug design and or biochemical testing of natural or synthetic compounds.

How to apply:
Eligible and interested candidates should need to appear for walk-in interview on 21.11.2014 at 1700 hrs at the above mentioned address.

Contact
Pondicherry University
Dr. S. Mohane Coumar, Assistant Professor & Project Investigator, Centre for Bioinformatics, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014
Email:registrar@pondiuni.edu.in
Phone: 0413-2655175

More at http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/sites/default/files/JRF-bioinfor-041114.pdf

Applications are invited for the AiCADD fellowship (MHRD, Govt. of India) of University of Kerala.

The terms and conditions of the fellowship is given below:

Ø The AiCADD PhD Fellowship scheme will be available for the students registered for full-time research or intending to register and pursue full time research at SIUCEB in frontier areas of bioinformatics, computational biology, systems biology and closely allied areas with focus on Ayur-Informatics.

Ø The fellowships will be widely announced and open to students irrespective of geographical consideration.

Ø Candidates availing of this fellowship shall not be in receipt of any other fellowships concurrently.

Ø Researchers will be selected on the basis of research aptitude test and personal interview.

Ø Each selected student will be eligible for a monthly fellowship of Rs. 10,000/- for the 1st and 2nd year and Rs. 12,000/- for the 3rd year.

Ø Candidates must register for PhD within one year of joining, failing which the fellowship will have to be remitted back.

Ø Candidates receiving the fellowship shall submit bi-annual reports of progress and the continuation of the fellowship will be based on the evaluation of the same.

Ø Candidates are also required to take up academic duties including teaching upto a maximum of 6 hours per week, as directed by AiCADD Principal Investigator.

Interested candidates may please forward their application along with resume on or before 15th November 2014 in the following address. Principal Investigator, AiCADD Centre, Dept. of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram - 695581.

More at https://sites.google.com/site/centreforbioinformatics/announcements

The work in our lab has focussed on computational approaches to speed-up the finishing process. Specifically, we have explored the use of optical mapping and mate-pair data to augment assemblies and direct finishing experiments. The tools developed in our lab have been used in several finishing projects, producing complete genomes (and near-complete ones) with surprisingly little computational and experimental effort (Nagarajan et al., in submission). The executables (as well as source code) for these tools are freely available here:

• Scaffolding using Optical Restriction Mapping
  Optical Maps are global, ordered maps of restriction site locations in a genome. This information can be quite useful in scaffolding contigs from a shotgun assembly to guide the finishing process. A set of programs to exploit optical maps for assembly can be found here: SOMA v2.0 (63 MB tar.gz file). This version of SOMA contains several improvements to programs in v1.0 as well as new scripts for working with multiple maps, contig graphs and scaffolds. 
  
  
• Augmenting assemblies with mate-pair data
  Mate-pair information can be valuable in augmenting short-read assemblies and reconstructing the genome as larger scaffolds. AMOS-Hybrid is a pipeline written in the AMOS framework (open-source assembly tools) to merge arbitrary mated reads into an existing assembly and merge contigs and create scaffolds where possible. Source code and executables for AMOS-Hybrid are available here: AMOS-Hybrid v1.0 (142 MB tar.gz file). 
  
  
• Assembly and sequence-composition guided finishing
  Contigs from a shotgun assembly are typically linked together in a graph structure that can serve to guide finishing and in some case close gaps in-silico. Also, in many cases, sequence composition of contigs can provide clues to fill gaps in scaffolds. A set of scripts to automate some of these tasks can be found here: Finishing Scripts v1.0 (63 MB tar.gz file). 

http://www.cbcb.umd.edu/finishing/

Address of the bookmark: http://www.cbcb.umd.edu/finishing/

Relying on unique software architecture, PLAST takes full advantage of recent multi-core personal computers without requiring any additional hardware devices.

PLAST stands for Parallel Local Sequence Alignment Search Tool and is was published in BMC Bioinformatics.

PLAST is a general purpose sequence comparison tool providing the following benefits:

• PLAST is a high-performance sequence comparison tool designed to compare two sets of sequences (query vs. reference),
• Reduces the processing time of sequences comparisons while providing highest quality results,
• Contains a fully integrated data filtering engine capable of selecting relevant hits with user-defined criteria (E-Value, identity, coverage, alignment length, etc.),
• Does not require any additional hardware, since it is a software solution. It is easy to install, cost-effective, takes full advantage of multi-core processors and uses a small RAM footprint,
• Ready to be used on desktop computer, cluster, cloud as well as within distributed system running Hadoop.

https://plast.inria.fr/

Address of the bookmark: https://plast.inria.fr/