As sequencing datasets continue to expand, researchers face new challenges in efficiently storing, transferring, and analyzing large-scale genomic data. The NIH Sequence Read Archive is the largest archive for next-gen sequence data that is hosted by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

This hands-on workshop — led by SRA subject matter experts at NCBI — will provide both newcomers and experienced users with practical strategies to locate and retrieve relevant SRA Lite and other cloud-optimized data formats for their genomic analyses and research workflows.

Participants will learn:

• How to navigate SRA, search for data, and integrate SRA data into a workflow
• Identify the various file formats that SRA supports and demystify SRA Lite
• Tradeoffs and real-world performance insights from human genetics, RNA-seq, and pathogen surveillance case studies
• Practice with hands-on exercises

This interactive session aims to empower researchers and institutional submitters to make informed choices about data formats and management, ultimately supporting more sustainable and accessible genomics research.