Advanced Python for biologists (APYB02)
This course is running from 28 May 2018 - 1 June 2018 in Scotland
This course is being delivered by Dr Martin Jones, an expert in Python and author of two text books,
Python for Biologists [http://www.amazon.com/Python-Biologists-complete-programming-beginners/dp/1492346136/]
Advanced Python for Biologists [http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Python-Biologists-Martin-Jones/dp/1495244377/]
Course overview
Python is a dynamic, readable language that is a popular platform for all types of bioinformatics work, from simple one-off scripts to large, complex software projects. This workshop is aimed at people who already have a basic knowledge of Python and are interested in using the language to tackle larger problems. In it, we will look in detail at the parts of the language which are particularly useful in scientific programming, and at the tools Python offers for making development faster and easier. The course will use examples and exercises drawn from various aspects of bioinformatics work. After completing the workshop, students should be in a position to (1) take advantage of the advanced language features in their own programs and (2) use appropriate tools when developing software programs.
Monday 28th - Classes from 09:00 to 17:00
Module 1: Data structures in Python.
In this session we will briefly recap Python's basic data structures, before looking at a couple of new data types - tuples and sets - and discussing where each should be used. We will then see how we can combine these basic types to make more complex data structures for solving specific problems. We'll finish our discussion by looking at specialized data types that are found in the Python core library. This session will also be our first introduction to benchmarking as we talk about the relative performance of different data types. In the practical session we'll learn how to parse an input file into a complex data structure which we can then use to rapidly query the data. Core concepts introduced: tuples, sets, higher-order data structures, default dicts, Counters, big-O notation.
Module 2: Recursion and trees.
In this session we will cover two very closely related concepts: trees (i.e. the various ways that we can store hierarchical data) and recursive functions (the best way to operate on treelike data). As recursion is inherently confusing, we'll start with a gentle introduction using biological examples before moving on to consider a number of core tree algorithms concerning parents, children, and common ancestors. In the practical session we'll look in detail at one particular way of identifying the last common ancestor of a group of nodes, which will give us an opportunity to explore the role of recursion. Core concepts introduced: nested lists, storing hierarchical data, recursive functions, relationship between recursion and iteration.
Tuesday 7th - Classes from 09:00 to 17:00
Module 3: Classes and objects.
In this session we will introduce the core concepts of object-oriented programming, and see how the data types that we use all the time in Python are actually examples of classes. We'll take a very simple example and use it to examine how we can construct our own classes, moving from an imperative style of programming to an object-oriented style. As we do so, we'll discuss where and when object-orientation is a good idea. In the practical we will practise writing classes to solve simple biological problems and familiarize ourselves with the division of code into library and client that object-oriented programming demands. Core concepts introduced: classes, instances, methods vs. functions, self, constructors, magic methods.
Module 4: Object-oriented programming.
Following on from the previous session, we will go over some advanced ideas that are common to most object-oriented programming languages. For each idea we'll discuss the basic concept, the scenarios in which it's useful, and the details of how it works in Python. This overview will also allow us to consider the challenges involved in designing object-oriented code. In the practical we will work on a simulation which will involve multiple classes working together. Core concepts introduced: inheritance and class hierarchies, method overriding, superclasses and subclasses, polymorphism, composition, multiple inheritance.
Wednesday 29th - Classes from 09:00 to 17:00
Module 5: Functional programming in Python.
This session will start with a look at a few different concepts that are important in functional programming, culminating in a discussion of the idea of state and its role in program design. We will see how functional programming is, in many ways, the complement of object-oriented programming and how that realization informs our decision about when to use each approach. We'll take a quick tour of Python's built-in tools that take advantage of functional programming and see how we can build our own. We'll finish with a brief look at how functional programming can vastly simplify the writing of parallel code. In the practical, we'll practise using Python's built-in functional tools, then implement one of our own. Core concepts introduced: state and mutability, side effects, first-class functions, declarative programming, lazy evaluation, parallelism, higher-order functions.
Module 6: Iterators, comprehensions and generators.
We'll start this session with a discussion of Python's iteration mechanism, focussing particularly on the behaviour of the functional methods from the previous session. Next, we'll introduce the idea of comprehensions as a way to concisely define lists and generators as a way to produce those lists efficiently. We'll see how to extend the same idea to sets and dicts, leaving us with comprehensions as a powerful tool in our programming toolbox. We'll finish with a look at how we can use iterators inside our own classes, tying together the ideas of object-oriented and functional programming. In the practical, we'll re-examine some of the problems from previously in the course using the new tools. Core concepts introduced: iteration, interfaces, comprehensions, generators, eager vs. lazy sequences.
Thursday 30th - Classes from 09:00 to 17:00
Module 7: Exception handling.
This session will start with a reminder of the difference between syntax errors and exceptions, after which we will explore the syntax involved in catching and handling exceptions. We'll then examine the way that exceptions can be handled in multiple places and the consequences for program design. We'll finish this session by learning how we can take advantage of Python's built-in exception types to signal problems in our own code, and how we can create custom exception types to deal with specific issues. In the practical we'll modify existing code to make use of exceptions. Core concepts introduced: exception classes, try/except/else/finally blocks, context managers, exception bubbling, defining and raising exceptions.
Module 8: Packaging and distribution.
We'll start this session by looking at our options for reusing code in Python and seeing how the methods differ depending on whether we want to share code between files in a program, between many programs on the same system, or between many programmers on different systems. This leads into a discussion about packaging and distribution, in which we'll discuss the roles of Python's package management tools and package repositories. In the practical session we'll turn existing code into modules and packages. Core concepts introduced: modules, namespaces, dependencies, executing modules, packages, metadata.
Friday 1st - Classes from 09:00 to 16:00
Module 9: Performance and benchmarking.
In this session we'll learn about the various tools Python has for benchmarking code (i.e. measuring its memory and runtime performance) and for profiling code (identifying areas where improvements can be made). We'll see that different tools are useful in different scenarios, and collect a set of recommendations for improving program performance. We'll use these tools to illustrate and measure points about performance that have been made through the course. In the practical, we'll take real-life code examples, measure their performance, and try to improve it. Core concepts introduced: function profiling, line profiling, profiler overhead, timing.
Module 10: - Unit testing.
In this session we will begin with a gentle introduction to testing which will illustrate why it's useful and what type of problems it can solve. We'll run through a series of examples using Python's built-in testing tools which will cover a number of different testing scenarios. We'll then implement the same set of tests using the Nose testing framework and examine how using a framework makes the tests easier to write and interpret. After looking at a number of specialized tests for different types of code, we'll discuss the impact of program design on testing. In the practical we'll practise building and running test suites for existing code.
please send any questions to oliverhooker@prinformatics.com
March 12th - 16th 2018 ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELLING USING R (ENMR02) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Neftali Sillero http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr02/
April 16th - 20th 2018
INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL MODELLING FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS USING R (IPSY01)
Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Dale Barr, Dr Luc Bussierre
http://www.psstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-using-r-for-psychologists-ipsy01/
April 30th - 4th May 2018 QUANTITATIVE GEOGRAPHIC ECOLOGY: MODELING GENOMES, NICHES, AND COMMUNITIES (QGER01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Dan Warren, Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick https://www.prstatistics.com/course/quantitative-geographic-ecology-using-r-modelling-genomes-niches-and-communities-qger01/
May 14th - 18th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO MIXED (HIERARCHICAL) MODELS FOR BIOLOGISTS (IMBR01) CANADA (QUEBEC), Prof Subhash Lele https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-mixed-hierarchical-models-for-biologists-using-r-imbr01/
May 21st - 25th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (IPYB05) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-python-for-biologists-ipyb05/
May 28th - June 1st 2018 ADVANCED PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (APYB02) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones https://www.prinformatics.com/course/advanced-python-biologists-apyb02/
June 12th -0 15th 2018 SPECIES DISTRIBUTION MODELLING (SDMR01) Myuna Bay sport and recreation, Australia, https://www.prstatistics.com/course/species-distribution-models-using-r-sdmr01/
June 18th - 22nd 2018 STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING FOR ECOLOGISTS AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS USING R (SEMR02) Myuna Bay sport and recreation, Australia, TBC https://www.prstatistics.com/course/structural-equation-modelling-for-ecologists-and-evolutionary-biologists-semr02/
July 2nd - 5th 2018 SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS FOR BEHAVIOURAL SCIENTISTS USING R (SNAR01) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof James Curley http://www.psstatistics.com/course/social-network-analysis-for-behavioral-scientists-snar01/
July 16th - 20th 2018 PRECISION MEDICINE BIOINFORMATICS: FROM RAW GENOME AND TRANSCRIPTOME DATA TO CLINICAL INTERPRETATION (PMBI01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Malachi Griffith, Dr. Obi Griffith https://www.prinformatics.com/course/precision-medicine-bioinformatics-from-raw-genome-and-transcriptome-data-to-clinical-interpretation-pmbi01/
July 23rd - 27th 2018 EUKARYOTIC METABARCODING (EUKB01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Owen Wangensteen http://www.prinformatics.com/course/eukaryotic-metabarcoding-eukb01/
