Educators:
Dr. Lars Feuerbach, Urška Pogorevčnik, MSc, Ferdinand Popp, PhD student (HD-HuB)

Date:
14.04.2026

Location:
Room A0.106
Im Neuenheimer Feld 242
69120 Heidelberg

Contents:
TelomereHunter2 is a tool for sequence-based telomere analysis that measures telomere content and composition. As input, it requires sequencing data in BAM or CRAM format, and supports a wide variety of sequencing protocols. Originally developed for cancer genome analysis in humans, it has been expanded for comparative analysis of vertebrate genomes and addressing research questions in the fields of immunology and aging. TelomereHunter2 now also supports single-cell analysis.

In this ~3 hour course, we aim to familiarize you with the use of the TelomereHunter2 software, the interpretation of the output, and the different insights different types of sequencing data can provide. The course will consist of a short theoretical background, followed by a hands-on session covering the installation, use, and test run of the software. Guided results interpretation will help participants identify the telomere content and discern the telomere maintenance mechanism of the examples. Further breakout sessions will focus on the application of TelomereHunter2 to more specific scenarios, such as single-cell data or non-human genomes.

Learning goals:
Participants will familiarize themselves with use of the TelomereHunter2 software, the output and its interpretation, use and advantages of different types of sequencing data, and application of the software in different scientific fields.

Prerequisites:
A basic knowledge of bioinformatics and genomics is required, as well as familiarity using command-line tools.

Participants must bring their own computers to participate in the hands-on session. Note that there are some known compatibility issues within the Windows environment. A Linux or macOS device is recommended.

To run the software, either python ≥ 3.8 is required OR docker or apptainer. For more information, see the TelomereHunter2 GitHub page.

Keywords:
Telomere, Telomere maintenance, Telomere biology, Genome analysis, Alternative lengthening of telomeres

Tools:
TelomereHunter2