WIAS Course: Simulation of breeding programs with the Modular Breeding Program Simulator (MoBPS)

Background: Breeding programs aim at improving the genetic characteristics of livestock and plant populations. As breeding is affected by a variety of interdependent factors, the analysis of the effect of certain breeding actions and the optimization of a breeding program are highly complex tasks. Although quantitative genetic theory can give approximations for simple breeding schemes, this typically is not sufficient for todays’ complex breeding programs and thus requires stochastic simulations with software like MoBPS for extended analysis.

Course topics: The course will include a general introduction to the MoBPS framework and breeding programs, as well as a series of exercises on how to use MoBPSweb (www.mobps.de) and the MoBPS R-package. In addition, there will be room for open discussion and specific questions regarding own breeding programs. After completion of the course, participants should be able to simulate common breeding programs in both plant and animal breeding including features such as:

• Use of real genotype and phenotype data as input
• Generation of traits
• Simulation of multiple breeding cycles
• Selection, phenotyping, breeding value estimation
• Comparison of scenarios of a breeding scheme
• MoBPS analysis functions
• Linking MoBPS to other software (MiXBLUP / blupf90 etc.)

Assumed background knowledge: Basic understanding of genomic prediction and breeding programs. Basic programming knowledge in R is encouraged, but not mandatory. Participants are expected to have access to a running version of R (version 3.4+) and a web-browser.

Background reading material:

https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.120.401193

https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab023

https://github.com/tpook92/MoBPS/blob/master/Guidelines%20to%20MoBPS.pdf

General Information

Target Group	PhDs, postdocs, WUR staff, others
Course level	in-depth, post graduate
Group size	A minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 participants. Registrations will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Course duration	2 days. Given once per year (The next In-person workshop in Wageningen is expected to be in March 2025).
Prior knowledge	Basic understanding of genomic prediction and breeding programs. Participants are expected to bring their own laptops with a running version of R (version 3.4+). Basic programming knowledge in R is encouraged, but not mandatory.
Home work/ self- study	Minimal
Language	English
Credit points	0,6 ECTS
Name lecturer	Torsten Pook (torsten.pook@wur.nl)
Teaching method	Lectures and exercise sessions
Online

Fee 

Reduced fee: WGS PhD candidates with a TSP	€150
University fee: Other PhDs, postdocs and WUR staff	€250
External fee: All other participants	€350

Cancellation condition

You may cancel free of charge up to 1 month before the start of the course. After this date you will be charged with the University fee, unless: 

• You can find someone to replace you in the course and supply the course coordinator with the name and contact information of your replacement. In this case you will be charged a €50,- cancellation fee.
• You are a PhD of Wageningen University with a valid reason to cancel (illness or death in the family 1st or 2nd degree). In this case you will be charged the reduced fee and your supervisor/PI must send a mail indication the reason for cancellation.

Note: WUR PhD candidates have priority. If the course is fully booked,  PhDs from other universities will be invited to join the course based on registration date.

Information: For more information please contact: paddy.haripersaud@wur.nl & torsten.pook@wur.nl