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Dates & Format

May 13 – June 3, 2025​

• Live sessions on Tuesdays, 9:00 - 10:15 am US Central Time
• Participants may choose to attend live sessions or view the recordings on their own schedule.
  
• Registration is now closed.

Course Description

This short course on High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) for plant pathogen detection provides a foundational understanding of sequencing technologies and their applications in plant disease diagnosis.

Offered in a flexible format, participants can choose to complete the course at their own pace or attend weekly live sessions with Q&A. The course includes 4 lessons (live or recorded), interactive features such as sample data sets and exercises, and a virtual discussion forum for sharing resources and engaging in Q&A outside of live sessions.

Participants will gain essential skills in experimental design, sequencing methods, and data analysis, preparing them to apply HTS technologies in their plant disease research.

Don't miss these key takeaways!

• Fundamentals of sequencing technologies
• Considerations & minimum information required for publication
• Available tools for data analysis and data interpretation
• Sample preparation techniques and experimental design for HTS diagnostic projects

Meet the Organizers

Charles Hagen leads Bayer’s North American Seed Health testing laboratory in Woodland, California. Charles has been with Monsanto/ Bayer for 17 years and has worked in Biotech, Chemistry, and Vegetable Pathology divisions before taking his current role leading Seed Health. He is an author of several peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and patents concerning the use of high throughput sequencing in plant pathology and has co-chaired several APS sessions relating to novel diagnostic technologies. Charles holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in genetics from the University of California at Davis. He became a Bayer Science Fellow in 2016.

Shaista Karim currently serves as the QC Seed Pathology Tech Lead at Bayer Crop Sciences in Woodland, California. Shaista earned her Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Colorado State University, where she focused on advancing molecular diagnostic techniques to address the growing need for accurate and efficient detection of plant pathogens. Her expertise spans both her graduate and post-doctoral research, where she contributed to developing and optimizing several cutting-edge detection assays using next-generation sequencing in the field of plant pathology.

Course Details

Is This Course Right for Me?

This course is perfect for:

• Graduate students and researchers interested in using HTS in their work.
• Professionals in academia or research who want to explore HTS as a tool but aren’t sure where to begin.
• Those who think HTS could answer a specific research question but need guidance on its applicability and implementation.
• Beginners who want a foundational understanding of HTS techniques to enhance your research projects.

This Course Includes:

• 4 lessons led by industry experts (see schedule outline below)
  • Participants may attend live or view the recording.
• Supplemental resources so you can explore the topics in more depth.
• A private discussion forum on the APS Community to ask questions, share resources, and discuss course topics outside of live sessions.
• Access to course materials

Registration Rates

*Attendees registering with the Developing Economy rate may be members or nonmembers but must reside in or work in one of the Developing Economy eligible countries. Please review the list to determine if you are eligible.​

Please Note: Login information will be provided beginning the week of May 6. Course access will open approximately 1 week​ prior to the course start date. 

Thank you to our sponsors!​

Vegetable and Flower Permanent Research Fund of the American Seed Trade Association:

BASF/Nunhems

Bayer

HM Clause

Rijk Zwaan

Eurofins

Syngenta

Sakata Seed America

Bayer Crop Science

Full Course Schedule & Policies

• Complete Course Outline & Details​
  

  Complete Course Outline & Details

  
  

  May 13, 2025

  Topic	Speaker
  Experimental Considerations in High Throughput Sequencing Introduction to HTS in Plant Pathology Control Strategies Sample Preparation	Nei​l Boonham Fera Science Ltd., Sand Hutton York UK

  
  
  

  May 20, 2025

  Topic	Speaker
  Sequencing Tools and Technologies Overview of Sequencing Platforms Practical Considerations	Veronica Roman-Reyna Penn State University

  
  
  

  May 27, 2025

  Topic	Speaker
  Data Analysis Introduction to HTS Data Analysis Software & Tools for Analysis Data Interpretation	Sebastien Massart University of Liege, Belgium

  
  
  

  June 3, 2025

  Topic	Speaker
  Minimum Information for Publication of HTS Experiments Standards for Reporting HTS Data Case Studies	Ma​her Al Rwahnih UC ​Davis Foundation Plant Services

  
  
• Expected Behavior

  Expected Behavior

  We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. We ask all attendees, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, guests and other participants be considerate and respectful to all members and refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech. Please note, if you register a guest for the meeting, you may be held responsible for the actions of the guest. Violations of this policy should be reported to meeting staff.

  APS reserves the right to remove any individual from attendance or other participation in any APS sponsored event without prior warning or refund, and to take additional action as determined necessary, up to and including expulsion from participation in APS. Any course of action recommended by APS is final.

• Cancellations & Refunds

  Cancellations & Refunds

  Cancellations MUST be made in writing, received within 30 days of any on-demand course registration, and are subject to a $25 cancellation fee. Cancellations requested once the Learning Collection has been accessed are not subject to a refund. If the association cancels this course, your registration fee will be refunded in full. By registering for this course, you agree to the cancellation and refund terms and conditions.

Questions? Contact:

The American Phytopathological Society
3285 Northwood Circle, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55121
Telephone: +1.651.454.7250
Fax: +1.651.454.0766
E-mail: [email protected]