Using the Gene Ontology Annotations in UniProt

All those applying to attend this course will be registered and will receive the Zoom link to connect the day before the course.

Overview

The Gene Ontology (GO) is a framework used to describe gene functions with respect to biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular components. GO is critical in providing a standardized vocabulary that enables consistent gene function annotation and comparison across species.

This 0.5-day course is taught by developers of GO and annotators at UniProt, the world’s leading high-quality, comprehensive and freely accessible resource of protein sequence and functional information. Participants will learn about GO and the different GO annotation processes: the standard GO annotation, the network-based detailed GO-CAM (Gene Ontology Causal Activity Models), and the PAN-GO (Phylogenetic ANnotation using Gene Ontology) approach which integrates evolutionary and network information. Hands-on guidance will be provided on how to navigate GO data through key bioinformatics resources such as UniProt, QuickGO, and AmiGO, focusing on how to access, interpret, and visualize GO annotations. Finally, the course introduces the concept of GO annotation enrichment, explaining how enrichment analysis can help identify overrepresented biological processes or functions in experimental datasets. By the end of the session, participants will have a solid understanding of how GO supports gene function annotation, analysis, and data interpretation in genomics research.

Audience

This course is designed for PhD students, postdoctoral and other researchers in the life sciences from both academia and industry who are interested in protein function, and how these are tied to biological processes and pathways.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, participants are expected to:

State what Gene Ontology is and how it’s used for gene function annotation.
Distinguish the different GO annotation processes: standard GO annotation, GO-CAM and PAN-GO.
Locate GO data in UniProt, QuickGO and AmiGO.
Use the big data analysis technique of Gene Ontology enrichment analysis.

Prerequisites

Knowledge / competencies

This course is designed for beginners. However, knowledge of protein, molecular and cellular biology is required.

We suggest participants watch the video Inside expert biocuration in UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot and complete the free e-learning course Vocabularies for bioinformatics prior to the course.

Technical

Participants are required to have their own computer with an Internet connection. All the suggested resources are available via online tools, and do not require any coding skills.

Application

All those applying to attend this course will be registered and will receive the Zoom link to connect the day before the course. Applications will close on 25/06/2026.

Please note that participation in SIB courses is subject to our general conditions.

Venue and Time

This course will be streamed using Zoom. It will start at 14:00 CET (08:00 EST) and end around 18:00 CET (12:00 EST).

All registered participants will receive the information for connecting remotely by email one working day prior to the course.

Additional information

Coordination: Monique Zahn, SIB Training group.

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