4/4/19

Objectives/Goals: The objective of this lab was to learn how the components of bioinformatics will allow us to analyze data. The goals were to become familiar with the terminal, and download QIIME 2.

Procedure: 

1. Install Miniconda for Mac OS
2. Install QIIME 2 within the conda environment [wget https://data.qiime2.org/distro/core/qiime2-2019.1-py36-osx-conda.yml conda env create -n qiime2-2019.1 –file qiime2-2019.1-py36-osx-conda.yml]
3. Activate the conda environment [activate qiime2-2019.1]
4. Test the installation [qiime –help]

What I Learned: I learned that bioinformatics is much more complex than I previously thought. I discovered that many steps that have to be taken after getting the raw sequences. The demultiplex of barcoded information must be denoised to get rid of all the unclear/damaged data. Feature tables are then used to get a visual representation of the data. The last few steps are to actually use the resources from the bioinformatic process to determine the taxonomy and phylogeny of the sample. I also learned that computers have a terminal that allows you put in an order/shortcut to perform many tasks (downloading a software, making a folder, etc.).

Conclusion/Future Goals: Bioinformatics is a vital part of determining the diversity of our sample. I am glad that I learned about this process because I am sure that it will help me in future research. In the near future, I would like to be able to utilize the terminal without having to refer to the shortcuts to type in. I look forward to the next labs when we will be utilizing QIIME 2 to analyze our data sample.