Welcome to the site of the 5^th HUGO Mutation Detection and Training Course 2006 (HMDTC).

In 2006 the course was hosted in Leiden (Nederland), from August 31 to September 4 and was organised by dr. Johan T. den Dunnen (Leiden Genome Technology Center, Human & Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center).

The bi-annual HUGO Mutation Detection and Training Courses aim to provide participants a broad and general overview of available and emerging technologies to detect changes in the DNA sequence (SNPs & mutations) and its applications. The courses are primarily aimed at post-graduate, medical and post-doctoral scientists whose research and diagnostic interests could benefit from increased awareness of mutation detection techniques. Access to the courses is open, however restricted to maximally 60 participants. The small size format of the course has been chosen to promote contacts and lively and frank discussions. In addition, participants are encouraged to submit an abstract - to be circulated amongst all participants - describing their current work. Through the "course Q-box", present during all sessions, the participants get the chance to drop questions on any aspects discussed or missing in the course. All questions will be collected and towards the end of the course we will try to answer as many questions as possible (probably in 2-4 parallel sessions).

The course is a mixture of lectures and practical laboratory demonstrations. Lectures are given in the morning, provide an overview of the topics, describe their background and principles, show applications and place the different techniques in context. Lectures will be presented by top-level international speakers, experts in their field. To promote contacts with the participants, speakers are encouraged to stay during the entire course. The lectures are complemented by afternoon workshop sessions intended to give the participants close and hands-on experience with a range of selected techniques. To promote interaction, participants follow these 4-session afternoon workshops in 4 alternating parallel subgroups. Workshops include computer sessions demonstrating software and internet possibilities for data analysis. The participants will get an internet account and have the possibility to do computer exercises in relation to the subjects covered during the course.

Although the course focuses around methods to identify sequence variants in genomic DNA (see Program), it also covers related subjects like lab automation, gene & mutation nomenclature, mutation databases, Quality Control and the evaluation of mutations (pathogenic or not). While most applications might be demonstrated in relation to human and human diseases, they should be applicable to any field of interest (incl. viral, microbial, plant and animal).

The course is organised under auspices of the HUman Genome Organisation (HUGO). The local organiser is supported by the Course Coordinator, Dr. Graham Taylor (Leeds, UK), and the Course Advisors; Prof. Mireille Claustres (Montpellier, France), Prof. Richard G.H. Cotton (Melbourne, Australia), Prof. Mario Tosi (Rouen, France), Dr. Mats Nilsson (Uppsala, Sweden).

Morning lectures and afternoon workshop sessions have taken place in the excellent facilities of the Hogeschool Leiden, a school training students in Chemistry, Biology and Medical Laboratory Science, Information and Communication Technology and Bio-informatics. The school lies in walking distance (5-10 min.) from the Leiden Central Station, just across the street of the prominent new research building of the Leiden University Medical Center where the Leiden Genome Technology Center resides (LGTC). All course participants were hosted in Hotel Van Der Valk Leiden in Leiden.

Registration included lunch and evening dinner. Every evening, after the course program, we visited the city of Leiden for dinner. Four different style restaurants throughout Leiden were selected to give you an idea of this wonderful university city. In many aspects, with its houses and canals, the center of Leiden resembles Amsterdam. The restaurants we visited include Van der Werff (Sept. 1), De Grote Beer (Sept. 2), De Burcht (Sept. 3) and the closing dinner in De Poort van Leyden (Sept. 4).