Developper: Gaëtan Benoit, PhD, former member of the Genscale team at Inria.

Contact: claire dot lemaitre at inria dot fr

Simka and SimkaMin are comparative metagenomics method dedicated to NGS datasets. https://gatb.inria.fr/software/simka/

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/GATB/simka

Finally, I find the underlying R code in a file created by GrapheR. For more details read also the package vignette, which is available in English, French and German!

gapFinisher can fill gaps in draft genomes quickly and reliably.

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/kammoji/gapFinisher

More at http://pythonhosted.org/pybedtools/

A powerful toolset for genome arithmetic.http://code.google.com/p/bedtools/

Parliament2 runs a combination of tools to generate structural variant calls on whole-genome sequencing data. It can run the following callers: Breakdancer, Breakseq2, CNVnator, Delly2, Manta, and Lumpy. Because of synergies in how the programs use computational resources, these are all run in parallel. Parliament2 will produce the outputs of each of the tools for subsequent investigation.

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/dnanexus/parliament2

Project Scientist-I
Experimental / Computation analysis experience in highthroughput genomics/ clinical application.

Project Manager
Experience in handling large biological projects involving high-throughput genomics/ clinical application.

Scientific Administrative Assistant
Lab Work.

More at https://vinodscaria.genomes.in/positionsopen

Essential qualifications for JRF
: M. Sc. in Bioinformatics with experience in Proteomics, genomics and structural biology. Knowledge of programming language, pearl and database – HTML, CSS,php and Java script.
Essential qualifications for Research Associate:
MSc/MTech in Bioinformatics with three years experience or Ph.D in Bioinformatics with experience in proteomics, genomics and structural biology. Knowledge of programming language, perl and database
– HTML, CSS, Java script. NGS sequence assembly and analysis and algorithm designing.
Age limit : 35 years maximum (5 year relaxation for SC/ST and women candidates)
Emoluments:
JRF: 16,000 + 30% HRA
.
Res Assoc: Rs22,000 + 30% HRA
The post is purely temporary in nature and is co-terminus with the project. The appointment would be initially for one year and may be extended further upon satisfactory performance.
Interested candidates
should send the duly filled application forms (format in the following page ) so as to reach on or before 20.9.2014 along with all the relevant documents.

More at http://www.iari.res.in/files/JRF_RA-03092014-20140903-135319.pdf

The "Ifs" of NGS QC and Trimming

1. Ensures Data Integrity
   If you want to minimize errors in downstream analyses, QC and trimming remove low-quality reads and bases, ensuring high-confidence data. This step is essential for reliable variant calling, assembly, and other applications.

2. Removes Contaminants
   If adapter sequences or contaminants are present in the raw reads, trimming can eliminate them. This prevents issues like misalignment or incorrect biological interpretations, ensuring cleaner data for analysis.

3. Improves Mapping and Assembly
   If your goal is better alignment to a reference genome or improved de novo assembly, trimming low-quality bases and adapters is critical. High-quality reads map more efficiently and generate more accurate assemblies.

4. Reduces Computational Load
   If you want to save computational resources, trimming reduces the dataset size, which speeds up processing and analysis. Clean datasets mean less computational time spent on processing low-quality data.

5. Prepares for Standardized Analyses
   If your project involves multiple datasets, QC and trimming ensure uniformity across them. This standardization makes comparisons valid and reproducible, particularly in large collaborative studies.

The "Buts" of NGS QC and Trimming

1. Risk of Over-Trimming
   But excessive trimming can lead to the loss of informative sequences, reducing read depth and potentially discarding biologically relevant data. This is especially critical in studies with limited sequencing depth.

2. Bias Introduction
   But trimming algorithms might introduce biases, especially if they inadvertently remove sequences with specific biological patterns. This can skew results and compromise biological insights.

3. Loss of Context in Paired-End Reads
   But trimming one read in a pair more than the other can lead to loss of pairing information. This complicates downstream analyses that rely on paired-end data, such as structural variant detection.

4. Time and Resource Intensive
   But running QC and trimming for large datasets can be computationally expensive and time-consuming. As sequencing depth increases, preprocessing becomes a bottleneck in the analysis pipeline.

5. Variable Standards
   But the criteria for trimming (e.g., quality threshold, minimum read length) can vary between tools and datasets. This variability may affect reproducibility and comparability of results across studies.

Balancing the "Ifs" and "Buts"

To maximize the benefits of QC and trimming while mitigating the challenges, consider the following best practices:

• Use QC Tools Wisely: Start with tools like FastQC to identify quality issues in your raw data. Visualizing quality metrics helps tailor your trimming parameters.

• Choose Reliable Trimming Tools: Tools like Trimmomatic, Cutadapt, and BBduk offer adaptive and customizable trimming options. Select one that aligns with your dataset and project goals.

• Set Reasonable Parameters: Avoid over-trimming by setting quality thresholds and minimum read lengths that balance data retention and quality improvement.

• Test Downstream Effects: Validate the impact of QC and trimming on downstream analyses, such as alignment efficiency, variant calling accuracy, or assembly quality.

• Document Your Workflow: Maintain detailed records of the parameters and tools used for QC and trimming. This ensures reproducibility and enables better troubleshooting.

Conclusion

NGS quality control and trimming are essential steps to ensure reliable and accurate data for analysis. While the "ifs" highlight the clear benefits of these steps, the "buts" remind us of the potential pitfalls. By adopting best practices and carefully balancing these considerations, you can optimize your preprocessing workflow and unlock the full potential of your sequencing data.

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