This month, the very first session of the Algorithms for DNA Sequencing (ADS) course is being offered on Coursera, with over 6,000 students registered. ADS examines the computational problems that come with the continuing onslaught of DNA sequencing data. How do we take a huge collection of DNA “puzzle pieces” and assemble them into a genome? How do we make it quick and easy to find a DNA “needle” in an enormous genomic “haystack”? The course will be offered each month. For a taste of the course, please register for it on Coursera and/or see the video lectures which are also available on YouTube.

The course is part of the Genomic Data Science certificate program, where students learn basic computational, biological, and statistical skills for analyzing genomic datasets.