Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction workshop
December 8-9, 2025
Two-day Online Training Hosted by The University of Queensland
Format: Two-day online workshop
Platform: Zoom
Instructor: Prof. Elizabeth Gillam, University of Queensland
We warmly invite all scientific partners to join a two-day online workshop dedicated to the Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction (ASR) method. The training will be led by Professor Elizabeth Gillam from the University of Queensland — a distinguished expert in enzymology and molecular evolution, particularly recognised for her work on Cytochromes P450.
Professor Gillam, based at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (UQ), integrates ASR with protein engineering to explore and design new biocatalysts. This workshop will provide both conceptual and practical understanding of ASR, offering participants the knowledge needed to independently perform a complete ASR analysis. Across two sessions, participants will learn about the applications of ASR in protein engineering and gain hands-on insight into the full analysis pipeline.
Day 1 — Applications of ASR in Protein Engineering and Ancestral Function Revival
Date: Monday, 8 December
Time (Europe, CET): 9:00–11:00
Time (Brisbane): 18:00–20:00
Agenda
- Introduction to the principles of Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction and its significance in molecular evolution
- ASR vs. directed mutagenesis
- Applications in bioengineering
Day 2 — The Complete ASR Analysis Pipeline
Date: Tuesday, 9 December
Time (Europe, CET): 9:00–11:00
Time (Brisbane): 18:00–20:00
Agenda
- Data preparation: Gathering homologous sequences and performing Multiple Sequence Alignment
- Phylogenetic tree construction: Choosing the evolutionary model and building the tree as the foundation of ASR
- Interpretation and validation of ASR results