Bioinformatics Research Program
June 15 to August 1, 2026
Apply for Summer 2026
The RNA Institute Summer Bioinformatics Research Program is a fully virtual training program for current undergraduate and graduate students students. Each research program is split into two parts:
- Learning the basic skills of RNA sequencing data analysis through daily live lectures
- Applying skills learned to an independent computational research project with an RNA Institute-affiliated faculty mentor
The 2026 Summer Application is now live! The application you complete depends on your country's classification by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please read below:
- If you are a citizen, permanent resident or F-1/J-1 visa holder in the U.S, Canada or a country not classified as an Low- or Middle-Income Country (LMIC) by the OECD, please visit 2026 Summer Bioinformatics Research Program Application Link to apply today!
- If you currently attend college in a country classified as an LMIC by the OECD, please apply via our partnership with STEM For Development. NOTE: Stem For Development's application portal closes on February 15, 2026! If you are applying from a country classified as an LMIC by the OECD, your application through the RNA institute portal will not be considered.
We will be accepting applications for U.S. citizens, permanent residents or F-1/J-1 visa holders in the U.S. Canada, or countries outside of the LMIC index until March 31, 2026. Stem For Development's application portal for those attending university in the LMIC index will close on February 15, 2026.
Students who successfully complete the program will be awarded with certificate of completion, a small stipend (U.S. citizens only), and a Skillsoft badge for the program.
2026 Bioinformatics Research Program Information
Summary
Summary
Below is a summary of the Summer 2026 Bioinformatics Research Program:
- 7 weeks in length, starts June 15, 2026, and ends August 1, 2026
- Skills learned include R coding, high performance computing via the command line, and RNA sequencing data interpretation and visualization as a project-based program
- After being selected to the program, students will receive a welcome email with information, including some pre-course work and administrative paperwork, by the mid-May 2026
- The pre-course work develops basic programming skills, and these short online courses should be completed prior to the start date of June 15, 2026
- Participants are expected to be available for lectures, small group sessions, and seminars (all virtual)
- The research program is separated into two projects:
- Project 1 is the same for all students and each will be provided RNA sequencing data to learn skills
- Schedule includes daily lectures, daily mentoring, weekly seminars and Project 1 presentations
- Project 2 is an independent computational project based on data from or relevant to research in their assigned faculty mentor's lab on topics such as microbiology, virology, muscular dystrophies, and more
- Schedule includes Project 2 plan presentations, twice weekly mentoring, weekly seminars and Project 2 final presentations
- Project 1 is the same for all students and each will be provided RNA sequencing data to learn skills
- Participants are invited to present their final project in-person as a research poster at the annual RNA Institute RNA Day on August 1, 2026
- Applications for an RNA Day travel award will be available to students that are over one hour from Albany, N.Y. Details will be announced during the program.
- Participants unable to present their final project in-person on RNA Day will present virtually on July 31, 2026
- Official Certificate of Completion, Introduction to Bioinformatics Skills digital badge, and a small stipend will be awarded based on the successful completion of the program
- All US-citizens, or those on an F1 or J1 Visa, must apply through the RNA Institute by March 31, 2026
- All international applicants must apply through the STEM for Development program (application deadline differs)
Eligibility
Eligibility
- No prior experience needed!
- Undergraduate or higher academic level only
- Must have GPA above 3.0
- Time commitment of 15 to 20 hours per week for seven weeks
- Includes daily lectures, daily small group sessions, weekly seminars and independent work
- Access to consistent high speed internet
2026 Schedule
2026 Schedule
Note: This is an example of the program schedule and subject to change.
Week 1, Project 1
| Date | Lecture (Noon to 1 p.m. EDT) | Small Group Session (3 to 4 p.m. EDT) | Seminar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, June 15, 2026 | Lecture 1: Intro biology, history of sequencing, & intro to RNASeq | SGS 1: Intro to small groups & pre-program material check in | N/A |
| Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | Lecture 2: DM1 Lecture | SGS 2: Install GlobalProtect VPN, get on HPCC, & map network drive | N/A |
| Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | Lecture 3: FASTQ files, DMSeq.org, intro bioinformatics, & the HPCC | SGS 3: Practice skills on navigating lab drive using command line | N/A |
| Thursday, June 18, 2026 | Lecture 4: Command line, HPCC jobs, & FASTQC | SGS 4: Download miniconda3 & STAR | Seminar 1 at 11 a.m. |
| Friday, June 19, 2026 | No meetings (Juneteenth - state holiday) | No meetings (Juneteenth - state holiday) | N/A |
Week 2, Project 1
| Date | Lecture (Noon to 1 p.m. EDT) | Small Group Session (3 to 4 p.m. EDT) | Seminar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, June 22, 2026 | Lecture 5: Submit first job & STAR alignment | SGS 5: Submit STAR & troubleshoot | N/A |
| Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | Lecture 6: Differential gene expression analysis & figure generation | SGS 6: Configure RStudio to run DESeq2 & troubleshoot any errors | N/A |
| Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | Lecture 7: DGE figure generation (continued), intro to rMATS, & alternative splicing analysis | SGS 7: DGE figure code breakdown, download rMATS, & submit rMATS job | N/A |
| Thursday, June 25, 2026 | Lecture 8: rMATS output & AS figure generation | SGS 8: Configure RStudio to run maser, AS figure code breakdown, & troubleshoot any errors | N/A |
| Friday, June 26, 2026 | Lecture 9: Tips & tricks for the command line | SGS 9: Checkpoint for Project 1 | Seminar 2 at 9:30 a.m. |
Week 3, Project 1
| Date | Lecture (Noon to 1 p.m. EDT) | Small Group Session (3 to 4 p.m. EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, June 29, 2026 | Lecture 10: Questions from Project 1 & expectation for Project 2 | SGS 9: Checkpoint for finalizing Project 1 |
| Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | Lecture 11: Gene ontology enrichment analysis | SGS 10: Project 1 Presentations |
| Wednesday, July 1, 2026 | Lecture 12: Alternative sequencing methods: Nanopore & single-cell sequencing | SGS 11: Project 1 Presentations (if needed) |
| Thursday, July 2, 2026 | No lecture | Optional SGS: Check students have access to data for Project 2, help plan research question and tools/pipeline to use |
| Friday, July 3, 2026 | To be decided (TBD) | To be decided (TBD) |
Week 4, Project 2
Monday, July 6, to Wednesday, July 8, 2026
- No lectures
- Small Group Sessions held twice, depending on Group Leaders’ schedules — focus on Project 2 questions and help
Thursday, July 9, 2026
- Presentations on Project 2 Plans
Friday, July 10, 2026
- Presentations on Project 2 Plans
- Seminar 3, time to be decided (TBD)
Week 5, Project 2
Monday, July 13, to Friday, July 17, 2026
- No lectures
- Small Group Sessions held twice, depending on Group Leaders’ schedules — focus on Project 2 questions and help
- Seminar 4 at 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 17, 2026
Week 6, Project 2
Monday, July 20, to Friday, July 24, 2026
- No lectures
- Small Group Sessions held twice, depending on Group Leaders’ schedules — focus on Project 2 questions and help
- Seminar 5 at 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 24, 2026
Week 7, Project 2
Monday, July 27, to Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- No lectures
- Small Group Sessions held twice, depending on Group Leaders’ schedules
- Seminar 6 at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Thursday, July 30, 2026
- Schedule to be decided (TBD).
Friday, July 31, 2026
- 2026 Bioinformatics Research Program Virtual Symposium (Remote only students virtual Project 2 presentations to entire cohort.)
- Schedule to be decided (TBD).
Saturday, August 1, 2026
- RNA Institute’s 2026 RNA Day Celebration (Remote students local to Albany area or able to travel to campus can present Project 2 in person as posters.)
- Schedule to be decided (TBD).
2026 Small Groups
2026 Small Groups
Groups, group leaders and trainees will be assigned and posted here closer to the program start date.