Mendelian Randomization Boot Camp

This two-day intensive boot camp integrates motivation for Mendelian randomization studies, statistical concepts, genetic considerations, and practical examples to design, implement and interpret a Mendelian randomization analysis. Led by a scientist with several award winning papers on Mendelian randomization combined with extensive expertise in epidemiology, the workshop will integrate seminar lectures with hands-on computer sessions to put concepts into practice. Emphasis will be given to leveraging existing publicly available resources (data, tools and packages) as well as indicating the scope for new studies. The afternoon lab sessions will provide an opportunity to work hands-on with real data. Participants will learn and practice all the steps required for a successful Mendelian randomization analysis using publicly available data, including identifying suitable data sources, data extraction, data alignment, assumption checking and sensitivity analysis.

By the end of this Mendelian randomization training, participants will be familiar with the following topics:

• Principles of Mendelian randomization
• Implementation options
• Suitable publicly available data sources
• Data interpretation and handling
• Data analysis
• Sensitivity analysis
• Study design advantages and pitfalls
• Emerging Mendelian randomization techniques
• Use of MR-Base

Summer 2026: The Mendelian Randomization Boot Camp is a livestream, remote training that takes place over live, online video on August 20-21, 2026 from 10:00am - ~6:00pm EDT. Please note this training is not a self-paced, pre-recorded online training.

Investigators from any institution and from all career stages are welcome to attend, and we particularly encourage trainees and early-stage investigators to participate. There are three requirements to attend this training:

1. Each participant is required have a working laptop or tablet with video and audio capabilities.
2. The Boot Camp will use data sets in R/RStudio using the Posit Cloud (formerly RStudio Cloud) platform, therefore it is required that each participant has previous experience using R.
3. Each participant must have a free, basic Posit Cloud (formerly RStudio Cloud) account prior to the first day of the boot camp.

Knowing basic R platform and commands is required for the Boot Camp as noted in the requirements above. This training will use Posit Cloud (formerly RStudio Cloud). If you are new to R or need a refresher, you can review the below tutorials to be well prepared:

1. R Programming Tutorial - Learn the Basics: A free datalab.cc class on R fundamentals
2. Once you create your free, basic Posit Cloud (formerly RStudio Cloud) account for the training: Primers on Programming Basics and Visualization Basics.
3. SHARP Program RStudio Cloud Tutorial: This self-paced tutorial from the Columbia SHARP Program walks through the Cloud Platform you will use at the training, as well as some basic exercises. We recommend this tutorial if you have not used the Cloud version of RStudio before, or if you are a beginner user of R.

If you have any specific questions about R and RStudio in the context of the Mendelian Randomization Boot Camp, please email the Mendelian Randomization team.

Mary Schooling, PhD, Department of Environmental, Occupational, and Geospatial Health Sciences at CUNY School of Public Health.

Scholarships are available for the Mendelian Randomization Boot Camp.

"The instructing team was absolutely wonderful. Immensely helpful answering questions, and explaining difficult topics. I learned a great deal and feel confident that I can apply it to my research." - Faculty Member at University of California, San Diego, 2025

"The course content and instructing team were fantastic. I learned so much and felt so accomplished after the two-day course." - Staff Scientist at National Cancer Institute, 2025

"Dr. Schooling was really enthusiastic about the topic, took our questions seriously, and shared her experience in a very organized and concise way." Student at UMass Amherst, 2024

"Great theoretical overview and hands on data labs that promote the ability to do an MR analysis independently and responsibly." - Postdoc at University of Iowa, 2024

"The Mendelian Randomization Boot Camp was highly informative and well-organized. The workshop's practical approach and excellent resources greatly enhanced my understanding of the MR study design." - Postdoc at Bringham and Women's Hospital, 2024

Registration Fee is based on your category and includes course materials. Course materials will be available to all attendees during and after the workshop. 

2026 Registration Category Rates: 

• Student/Postdoc/Trainee: 
  • Early-bird rate: $995 
  • Regular rate: $1,195
• Faculty/Academic Staff/Non-Profit Organizations/Government Agencies: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,195 
  • Regular rate: $1,395 
• Corporate/For-Profit Organizations: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,395 
  • Regular rate: $1,595 

$200 early-bird discount is automatically applied if you register before the  June 15 deadline.  

• $200 Early-bird Discount: This is automatically applied if you register before the June 15 early-bird deadline.  
• 10% Columbia Discount: This is valid for any active student, postdoc, staff, or faculty at Columbia University. If paying by credit card, use your Columbia email address during the registration process to automatically have the discount applied. If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, see below.  
• 10% Mailman Alumni Discount: This is valid for any individual who graduated from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. To access the Mailman Alumni discount and receive a registration code, please email sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu your graduation year and degree.  
• Group discounts are available for organizations sending 5+ participants. Please contact us directly at sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu for more information.

If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, submit this Columbia Internal Transfer Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat. 

If you would prefer to pay by invoice/check, please submit this Invoice Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat. 

Cancellation notices must be received via email at least 30 days prior to the training start date in order to receive a full refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Cancellation notices received via email 14-29 days prior to the training will receive a 75% refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Please email your cancellation notice to Columbia.SPH.MR@gmail.com(link sends e-mail). Due to workshop capacity and preparation, we regret that we are unable to refund registration fees for cancellations less than 14 days prior to the training.

If you are unable to attend the training, we encourage you to send a substitute within the same registration category. Please inform us of the substitute via email at least one week prior to the training so we can include them on attendee communications, gather registration details, and provide materials. Should the substitute fall within a different registration category (e.g., you are a faculty member and they are a postdoc), the credit card on file will be credited/charged respectively. Please email substitute inquiries to Columbia.SPH.MR@gmail.com(link sends e-mail). In the event Columbia must cancel the event, your registration fee will be fully refunded.