Solving the Human Microbiota Puzzle: Theory, Practice, and Statistical Analysis

"The course focuses on the study of the human microbiota through a bioinformatic approach. The teaching sessions are based on answering some fundamental questions that bedevil research on this topic and include:
i)What is the microbiota and why is the study of the microbiota taking on an increasingly important role when it
comes to human ""health and well-being""?
ii) Is it possible to modulate the composition of the human
microbiota? If yes, how?
iii) With which technological approaches can information relating to the composition and metabolic prediction of the human microbiota be obtained?
By providing answers to these questions, students will develop an overview of the nature and role of the microbiota in its relationships with humans. The course will be structured in two modules: a part of frontal lessons lasting 4 hours, followed by a practical part.
During the course, the QIIME2 so[ware will be presented, which uses Python as the programming language, and
the use of the R application for data analysis will be introduced. Students will then be trained in the use of the
statistical language in R and in the use of the RStudio application. During this phase, students will learn the basics of R and how to perform simple statistical operations, both descriptive and population testing. Subsequently, the use of R will deepen to address more complex statistical analyzes for the study of the microbiota, using predictive
statistics and Machine Learning.
Students will acquire bioinformatics skills applied to complex microbial communities and these skills will be
transferable to their doctoral projects and/or will allow them to critically address the analysis of microbial metataxonomic and metagenomic data."