These materials support a workshop comparing two popular online genome browsers, initially taught in Fall 2024, as part of the series Foundations in Genome Analyses, hosted by NUIT Research Computing and Data Services. These materials were prepared and presented by Pamela Shaw of Galter Health Sciences Library.
Genome browsers are a good way to get a survey or review of many types of molecular information available on your query. They provide a one-stop interface with links to external sources, but also show you the location of your gene (or protein) in context of the genome. Explore tracks of data on regulation, variation, expression, species conservation, and much more. Edit tracks to display only the information you want to see. You can download data from the browser interface as well.
This workshop is a basic overview of two popular genome browsers: the UCSC Genome Browser and the Ensembl Genome Browser. You'll learn the basics of navigating in both browsers, in their online formats. This workshop is intended for novice users of genome browsers, but we hope that everyone can learn something new from the session.
We will use both genome browsers, using an example molecule and performing the same basic tasks in each browser for the same molecule. From this side-by-side comparison, you can see how each browser displays information, and decide which one best suits your own personal preferences and gets you the information you need most effectively.
You don't need to download anything for this session. All you need is a computer with an internet browser and an internet connection.
There are no slides for this session. It was created to be entirely hands-on. We do have guides for both genome browsers available at the Galter Library website at our Genome Browsers GalterGuide page.
We won't have time to explore even a fraction of all the tracks available. There are some very cool features in both browsers in expression, comparative genomics, and other track sets that we won't have time to cover. So don't be afraid to explore on your own.
It's free to create a user account for each browser, and we recommend it. This will allow you to save results and revisit analyses you have saved previously, give you a place to upload data, provide a place to share sessions with collaborators.
- To create an account at UCSC, click on the My Data menu, then My Sessions. At the top of My Sessions are links to login or create an account.
- To create an account at Ensembl, click on the Login/Register link in the upper right corner of any browser or Ensembl page.
In addition to our GalterGuides, there are lots of support materials available for each genome browser.
- Genome Browser User Guide
- Online training (list of videos) and YouTube Channel
- Genome Browser FAQ
- Also, when you're in the browser view, there is a banner at the top showing a guided tutorial (unless you've clicked "Don't show again"). There are also examples in a link to the right of the search button and a clinical tutorial link.