The Bulgarian Barcode of Life (BgBOL), in collaboration with the Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE), organised the first BgBOL “Practical Course on DNA Barcoding and Sequencing.” The training took place on 7–9 July 2025, at the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, in Sofia.
This hands-on training was specifically designed for early-career scientists, offering an in-depth introduction to DNA barcoding and genomic techniques and practical biodiversity analysis using state-of-the-art barcoding and high-throughput sequencing technologies. Participants had the opportunity to enhance their skills through direct engagement with laboratory techniques and bioinformatics approaches, with a strong emphasis on practical experience and the publication of research data. The course featured lectures and guidance from experts across various biological disciplines, including genomics, zoology, and molecular biology.
The course gathered a diverse team of instructors from Europe: Alexandros Triantafyllidis, Spiros Papakostas, Konstantinos Gkagkavouzis, and Elisavet Kaitetzidou from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Tomasz Mamos from the University of Lodz (Poland); Alexandra Tokareva from the National Museum of Natural History (BAS, Bulgaria); plus the IPPG-BAS team, led by Valya Vassileva, Stefaniya Kamenova (NMNH-BAS), Lyubomir Penev (Pensoft) and Georgi Bonchev (IPPG-BAS)
One of the highlights was a live demonstration of DNA extraction and sequencing in real time, which helped demystify the technology and sparked lots of discussion among participants. The course also served as a great platform for informal networking and building connections between Bulgarian, Greek, and Polish teams working on related projects.
The course fostered a dynamic learning environment, encouraging participants to engage with a vibrant community of internationally recognised researchers and inspiring new research ideas, and contributed greatly to building local capacity in biodiversity genomics.
Funded by the BGE project, the course was free of charge for all participants.
