PAMCA-VectorBase
Virtual Vector Meeting

Tuesday December 1 & Wednesday December 2 2020
Starting 8AM New York | 1PM London | 4 PM Nairobi
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For more information contact : Elijah Juma or Samuel Rund
Overview
PAMCA-VectorBase Students and Young Investigators Virtual Vector Meeting 2020
PAMCA and VectorBase have collaborated to host a free, virtual vector conference/workshop experience, primarily aimed at PAMCA student/ young investigators (although all are welcomed to attend!)
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This is a blended live/recorded experience.
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Recorded lectures will be made available the week before the workshop. Please review at your own pace. Representatives from each training organization will be available to offer assistance on the activities during the virtual exhibition hall hours.
We will be utilizing the Remo platform allowing virtual poster sessions and networking sessions and interaction with other attendees.
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Finally, we will have 2 live 'tours' of interest to those in the mosquito community.
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Live virtual tours
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Recorded lectures
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Live virtual networking experience
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Live Three min thesis competition
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Live Virtual Poster session
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Live Virtual exhibition booth/hall.
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Recorded
Lectures

Watch Prosper Chaki's (PAMCA) and Mary Ann McDowell's (VEuPathDB) welcome message.
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All speakers / organizations will have booths in the virtual exhibition hall do you can ask your follow up questions and get further assistance. See descriptions and links to pre-recorded lectures below.
VectorBase/PlasmoDB
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VectorBase.org and PlasmoDB.org are part of VEuPathDB, a US NIH Bioinformatic Resource Center. Training provided will cover how to use our bioinformatic resources for those studying arthropod vectors and malaria.
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General overview (watch lecture)
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Site Search (watch lecture | worksheet | answer key)
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Strategy System (watch lecture | worksheet | answer key)
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Gene Pages and Genome Browser (watch lecture | worksheet | answer key)
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GO Enrichment analysis (watch lecture | worksheet | answer key)
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IR Mapper
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IR Mapper is a tool that interactively displays results from standardized insecticide resistance tests (both phenotypic and resistance mechanisms) on Anopheles species, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus generated using WHO or CDC standard test protocols. Data are updated monthly with newly published literature. Training will be provided on how to use this resource. (lecture)
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VIPR (Virus Pathogen Resource)
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The Virus Pathogen Resource, (ViPR) is a freely available, NIAID-funded resource that supports the research of viral pathogens in the NIAID Category A-C Priority Pathogen lists and those causing (re)emerging infectious diseases. ViPR integrates data from external sources (GenBank, UniProt, Immune Epitope Database, Protein Data Bank, etc.), direct submissions, internal curation and analysis pipelines, and provides a suite of bioinformatics analysis and visualization tools to expedite virology research.
The ViPR site hosts data on the Flaviviridae and Togaviridae families, as well as pages dedicated to Dengue and Zika viruses.
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Introduction to ViPR (watch lecture)
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Dengue virus search tools (watch lecture)
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Searching using ortholog groups (watch lecture)
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Flavivirus genotyping tool (watch lecture)
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Comparative Genomics Analysis Challenge Project - Zika Virus S139N Substitution Analysis (worksheet)
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FAIR Data for Africa
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When considering the global challenge of implementing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and Open data practices; Africa has unique capacity strengths and gaps, considerations, perspective, and opportunities. Jane Wyngaard, University of Cape Town, discusses these from a African technologists' perspectives
Mosquito surveillance data standarization considerations (watch lecture).
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How to do a gene drive risk assessment (Bayesian statistics)
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Genetic control methods using synthetic gene drives have been suggested as potentially applicable to dominant malaria vectors in Africa. Before deployment of any gene drive can be considered, there is need for both further scientific research of gene drive and the application of fit-for-purpose probabilistic risk assessments within a staged testing and development pathway. Bayesian statistics provides a structured framework for the testing and evaluation of scientific predictions and hypotheses with empirical data. Key elements for a gene drive risk assessment will include the structured elicitation of expert opinion and the incorporation of empirical information provided by surveillance monitoring and experimental studies.
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> About our risk assessment (watch talk)
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Mosquito surveillance data – Data considerations
Mosquito surveillance data is routinely collected. But how this data is recorded and stored has significant implications to its historical value and reuse. In this hands-on virtual discussion and exercise VectorBase curators Samuel Rund and Sarah Kelly will discuss some considerations for how to maximize the historical value of mosquito surveillance data and some options and reasons to increase data -reuse of that data.
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Part 1: Intro to VectorBase MapVEu tool for visualizing surveillance data and an overview of US mosquito abatement district surveillance data sharing considerations. (lecture)
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Part 2: Hand-on exercises for managing surveillance data (lecture | Files: A, B, C, D, MIReAD handout)
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Intro to Global Vector Hub
The Global Vector Hub (GVH) aims to assist in capacity building for vector control globally, establish a community of practice for vector control interventions, and enable stakeholders to make evidence-based decisions. The main audiences of the GVH are public health officials, vector control agents and vector researchers. (watch talk)
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Poster
sessions
We will be holding virtual poster sessions while the exhibition hall is open.
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A list of posters will appear here closer to the event date.

Live Schedule
Tuesday December 1
Technology platform test time. Log in early to the Remo platform to make sure you can connect
8 am New York / 1 pm London / 4 pm Nairobi
Virtual exhibit and networking hall open
8:30 am New York / 1:30 pm London / 4:30 pm Nairobi
3 min Flash Talks - Session A
9 am New York / 2 pm London / 5 pm Nairobi
Virtual exhibit and networking hall open
Poster Session A
10 am New York / 3 pm London / 6 pm Nairobi
Live Virtual tour of the U.S. national mosquito collection at the Smithsonian Institution
11:30 am New York / 4:30 pm London / 7:30 pm Nairobi
Close for the day

Wednesday December 2
Technology platform test time. Log in early to the Remo platform to make sure you can connect
8 am New York / 1 pm London / 4 pm Nairobi
Virtual exhibit and networking hall open
Poster Session B
9 am New York / 2 pm London / 5 pm Nairobi
3 min Flash Talks - Session B
Virtual exhibit and networking hall open
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10 am New York / 3 pm London / 6 pm Nairobi
Live Virtual tour of the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District
11:30 am New York / 4:30 pm London / 7:30 pm Nairobi
Close for the day
