H3ABioNet: Developing Sustainable Bioinformatics Capacity in Africa

Abstract

The diverse, rapidly developing discipline of bioinformatics has become an integral component of all areas of biomedical research in recent years. The ability to manage, analyse and interpret large complex datasets hinges on having access to skilled researchers who have received adequate training in specialised technical areas. Currently in Africa, individuals with these specialised skills are sparsely scattered across the continent and there is an urgent need to develop sustainable training programs to improve bioinformatics capacity. As part of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, a pan-African bioinformatics network for H3Africa (H3ABioNet) was established to develop bioinformatics infrastructure together with a sustainable high quality training program. Here, we discuss the various training events and approaches developed by H3ABioNet to address the lack of bioinformatics capacity in Africa, together with the valuable lessons learnt.