A reformatted version of the Microbiome Undergraduate Boot Camp is returning to Northern Nevada next month at the ҹɫÊÓƵ's Lake Tahoe campus.
During the summer, the Nevada IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (NV INBRE), with support from the National Science Foundation, brought an updated version of the microbiome research boot camp to southern Nevada undergraduates at the UNLV campus. The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE)-wide program aims to introduce students to the complex world of bioinformatics and data science using modern tools. 
Behind the bootcamp is a collaborative team based at the ҹɫÊÓƵ dedicated to helping students explore real microbiome data. Participants learn directly from Juli Petereit and Cassandra Hui of the NV INBRE Data Science Core and Nevada Bioinformatics Center, alongside Steven Frese and Matt Bolino from the Department of Nutrition – a group whose combined expertise spans data science, microbial ecology and translational research.
The team helps students explore the intersection between statistics, computer science, data science, and microbiology. The program dives into the human gut microbiome using real DNA samples from volunteers in the , while teaching students how to code and analyze data in R, a free and widely used programming language. 
Students prepare research projects to present during last summer's boot camp at UNLV. UNLV biochemistry student Jose Guerra joined the boot camp in Las Vegas last summer and has since integrated the skills he learned into his daily research in the lab.
"For me, learning R, how to make figures and analyze data was incredibly useful; I now apply those skills directly to my work as a researcher,” Guerra said.  
This updated version of the microbiome boot camp is only a week long versus the original three-week program, which included a wet lab portion. This decreased commitment is more manageable for students with other obligations.
Throughout the week, students will gain hands-on experience with analyzing microbiome data, statistics, data science concepts, data visualization and interpreting results. After testing their own research hypotehsis, students present their findings.  
The students’ final project presentations are the best part of the week, according to Hui. 
"Some students did things I’ve never done before, and that was really cool to see,” she said. 
Using real samples coupled with hands-on experience with R creates an immersive environment that helps students gain new skills or build on old ones.  
Another summer attendee was , whose research has involved microbial datasets for many years. She joined the boot camp to learn updated approaches for analyzing this data. 
“R code didn’t exist back when I first learned this material, so it was exciting to see an entirely new way to do the work,” Edmonds said.  
Even with her deep expertise, she found the team’s practical guidance especially impactful.
“They teach from real experience, and that’s incredibly valuable,” she said. 
Applications for “Crunching Microbes: Real-World Data Science with Microbiome Data” close Dec. 17 for the Jan. 12-16 session in Lake Tahoe. Applications for the next Las Vegas session, March 16-20, will be accepted until Jan. 23. Details for additional sessions next summer will be announced in the spring. The program is free for accepted students enrolled at any NSHE institution.
