• Rolanda Julius, Rolanda Julius, DS-I Africa Coordinating Centre
• Michelle Skelton, Michelle Skelton

• Marta Lloret-Llinares, Marta Lloret-Llinares, EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute
• Patricia Carvajal-López, Patricia Carvajal-López, EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute
• Cath Brooksbank, Cath Brooksbank, EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute
• Bioinformatics Core Facility Scientists Competencies Taskforce, Bioinformatics Core Facility Scientists Competencies Taskforce, Bioinformatics Core Facility Scientists Competencies Taskforce

The International Society of Computational Biology recently revised its competency framework, which facilitates the design of curricula and professional development in the area of bioinformatics. The framework is a minimum standard defining the knowledge, skills and attitudes required in a range of bioinformatics-related professions. It includes a series of career profiles and the minimum levels of competence required for each of them, but lacks information on career progression and possible career pathways.

Demand for bioinformatics service professionals, many of whom lead or operate bioinformatics core facilities, continues to grow, but there are no defined roles or career pathways for them, and therefore they vary between institutions. A detailed definition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required by bioinformatics core facility staff at different career stages would support the development of career progression and facilitate the design of professional development opportunities. A group of professionals in bioinformatics core facilities from the ISCB’s Bioinfo-Core group, the Curriculum Task Force of the ISCB Education Committee, and other interested individuals are working to expand the ISCB framework in this direction. In addition, the effort will create a common language for professionals to communicate about their own competence, which can be used in recruitment and assessment processes.

The presentation will describe the methodology used to work with the community of bioinformatics core facility scientists, the outcome of the work to expand the ISCB competency framework, and our vision for how this work might support professional development for aspiring and existing bioinformatics core facility staff.

• Nilson Coimbra, Nilson Coimbra, Laboratorio de Bacteriologia
• Bernardo Velozo, Bernardo Velozo, Programa de Pós Graduação em Bioquímica
• Clara Carvalho, Clara Carvalho, Programa Interunidades de Pós-graduação em Bioinformática
• Lucas Aleixo Leal Pedroza, Lucas Aleixo Leal Pedroza, Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Aplicada à Saúde
• Emerson Danzer, Emerson Danzer, Programa Interunidades de Pós-graduação em Bioinformática
• Sandy Ingrid Aguiar Alves, Sandy Ingrid Aguiar Alves, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Agentes Infecciosos e Parasitários
• Rayssa Feitosa, Rayssa Feitosa, The Hospital for Sick Children
• Maira Neves, Maira Neves

The ISCB Regional Student Group of Brazil (RSG-Brazil) is at the forefront of promoting bioinformatics and computational biology education in Brazil. In 2019, RSG-Brazil launched its Educational Committee (EduComm) with a dual mission: to develop educational materials in Portuguese and to assess the efficacy of bioinformatics training in the country. Leveraging the ISCB core competency framework 3.0, the EduComm devised a novel training model to evaluate confidence in various technical aspects of bioinformatics. This model encompasses seven domain topics crucial for bioinformatics education: Biology, Statistics, Computer Science, Ethics, Bioinformatics Applications, Communication, and Professional Development. To gauge the educational needs of the Brazilian bioinformatics community, a survey was conducted in November 2023, collected 375 responses from across 21 states, predominantly from academia. Notably, the majority of respondents identified themselves as Bioinformatics Users, with a significant representation from Undergraduate and Graduate students. The survey revealed regional and profile-specific interests in Bioinformatics Topics, providing valuable insights for curriculum development. Through the efforts of EduComm, RSG-Brazil aims to tailor educational courses to meet the diverse needs of Brazil's computational biology student community. This work presents the findings from the survey conducted by RSG-Brazil's EduComm and highlights the importance of localized educational initiatives in advancing bioinformatics education on a global scale.

• Dusanka Nikolic, Dusanka Nikolic, Wellcome Connecting Science Cambridge
• Monica Abrudan, Monica Abrudan, Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance
• Katherine Kaldeli, Katherine Kaldeli, Wellcome Connecting Science Cambridge
• Sara Ray, Sara Ray, Pathogen Genomics Unit
• Charlene Rodrigues, Charlene Rodrigues, UKHSA/Dept of Paediatrics
• Liã Bárbara Arruda, Liã Bárbara Arruda, Wellcome Connecting Science Cambridge
• David Aanensen, David Aanensen, Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance
• Michelle Bishop, Michelle Bishop, Wellcome Connecting Science Cambridge
• Alice Matimba, Alice Matimba, Wellcome Connecting Science Cambridge

Background: A barrier to the application of pathogen genomics for service delivery is due to a lack of trained healthcare and public health professionals. We developed a pathogen genomics competency framework (CF) outlining the knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) required for performing genomics pipelines, supporting analysis and interpretation.

Methods: A mixed-method approach was applied, starting with a questionnaire aimed at healthcare and research professionals (n=90) to gather data on respondents’ roles and self-assessed proficiencies using an initial set of pathogen genomics competencies based on domain topics including biology, data science, genomic analysis and interpretation. We employed a consensus-building approach among the representative professionals to establish personas and ascertain the proficiency levels for each persona and competency. A database of competency statements reflecting six proficiency levels (Blooms taxonomy) was developed.

An iterative design approach was adopted for continuous refinement and updating of the competency framework through consensus building among relevant stakeholders, allowing adaptation to the evolving landscape of genomics across various settings.

Results: The CF covers six clinical and public health roles including Bioinformatician. The CF also encompasses a database of 60 pathogen genomics competencies, containing statements across 6 Blooms levels for each competency, allowing for the new roles to be created. This CF can evolve, catering to the diverse needs and interests of stakeholders.

Conclusions: Providing a link between practice, education and training, the CF aids: institutions determining skills gaps and designing of training programmes; self-assessment by individuals to identify areas for development; the recruitment of staff with relevant skills.

• Sara Fumagalli, Sara Fumagalli, University of Milano-Bicocca
• Giulia Ghisleni, Giulia Ghisleni, University of Milano-Bicocca
• Alice Armanni, Alice Armanni, University of Milano-Bicocca
• Luca Corneo, Luca Corneo, University of Milano-Bicocca
• Maurizio Casiraghi, Maurizio Casiraghi, University of Milano-Bicocca
• Antonia Bruno, Antonia Bruno, University of Milano-Bicocca

Ensuring access to the bioinformatics field shall be on the agenda of life sciences degrees. This especially applies to biology-related degrees, where future biologists often ignore its existence due to the scarcity of dedicated courses.

We present our contribution to bioinformatics education, using the Data Hunters Workshop as a case study. Kicked off on February 28th, Data Hunters constitutes an ongoing student-science activity for students of the University of Milano-Bicocca, particularly those in the Biotechnology and Biosciences Department. Combining educational engagement with scientific research, this initiative enables students to tackle the key issue of metadata standardization’s lack in metagenomics, while supporting their learning. We provided a 6-hour lecture and an autonomous hands-on phase, structured as a learn-and-play activity with in-house built online and command-line educational resources. Thus, 29 students gained the fundamentals of metagenomics and Python language. Thanks to these tools, they have now stepped into the role of bioinformaticians, actively curating metadata from 379 amplicon-based and shotgun sequencing projects of the human skin microbiome to collaboratively create a curated metadata collection. Upon the workshop’s conclusion, we will assess the efficacy of our activity via surveys and standardized evaluation scales.

Our workshop represents the effort to bridge educational and research aims, including students as bioinformaticians of the future. As a reflection of the synergy of our objectives, the workshop's outcomes will include significant educational impacts that will lead to the development of a collaborative curated collection of human skin microbiome metadata, alongside the advancement of bioinformatics dissemination.

• Nia Hughes, Nia Hughes, bioinformatics.ca
• Michelle D Brazas, Michelle D Brazas, bioinformatics.ca

The Canadian Bioinformatics Workshop series (CBW), hosted by Bioinformatics.ca, has provided short-form bioinformatics and computational biology training for the past 25 years. Among the challenges of offering training across Canada is the population’s significant geographical spread: for single-location workshops, potential trainees often find that the cost of travel is often a prohibitive factor. While virtual training resolves this access limitation, virtual training lacks the relationship and community building opportunities inherent in in-person events.

To address this issue, CBW developed a Distributed model for training delivery. This model involves multiple venues simultaneously running the same workshop, with instructors, TAs, and students live at each location while lectures are broadcast back and forth. We piloted this format with our successful Metabolomics Analysis workshop in 2023, using Montréal and Edmonton as locations. The model allowed us to double our participant capacity and reach individuals who would not have otherwise been able to attend while also decreasing our faculty travel costs and environmental footprint.

Here, we describe the logistics of the Distributed model and provide a detailed case study of our pilot workshop. We review the successes and challenges of our first Distributed offering and provide advice for educators interested in implementing this model themselves.

• Anna Swan, Anna Swan, EMBL-EBI
• Ajay Mishra, Ajay Mishra, EMBL-EBI
• Aziz Mithani, Aziz Mithani, EMBL-EBI
• Kim Gurwitz, Kim Gurwitz, EMBL-EBI
• Catherine Brooksbank, Catherine Brooksbank, EMBL-EBI

Games are increasingly recognized as effective tools in training to engage participants and facilitate the learning of new concepts. This approach can be applied in bioinformatics training to a range of contexts, including face-to-face courses and self-paced eLearning.

To illustrate our experience of using games in face-to-face bioinformatics training we describe two games focused on the learning objective ‘recall the range of EMBL-EBI data resources’. The first, a competitive card game, was designed for an informal environment, such as during a break in a course or as an icebreaker. During the game learners discover the range of EMBL-EBI data resources and some potential data management issues whilst interacting socially. The second, a treasure hunt used within a session as part of a face-to-face course, takes learners through a series of challenges requiring the exploration of selected EMBL-EBI data resources. Participants work together in pairs and compete with others to complete the challenges. The treasure hunt is also available as an interactive eLearning course.

For asynchronous eLearning, small interactive elements, such as crosswords, drag-and-drop games, and interactive scenarios can also be effective in introducing new concepts. This kind of interactivity encourages users to continue engaging with the self-paced learning, despite the physical lack of peers who are focused on the same learning objectives.

Feedback has demonstrated that learners appreciate the interactivity and alternative ways of learning that games can bring to bioinformatics training. Trainers also benefit from the creative process of game development whilst maintaining focus on specific learning outcomes.

• Priyanka Surana, Priyanka Surana, Wellcome Sanger Institute

The Biodata Developers' (BioDev) Network is committed to advancing open-access genomic and life science discovery globally through strategic educational initiatives and community-driven practices. Our targeted communities of practice in bioinformatics—Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics Workflows, and Software & Web Development—each boast over 100 members and host monthly or more frequent meet-ups. These communities facilitate regular engagements through seminars, workshops, and symposia, promoting continuous skill enhancement and fostering a cutting-edge technological culture.

Our Future Innovators Mentorship Scheme, a cornerstone of our educational framework, is designed to equip early-career scientists from underrepresented regions with critical skills and exposure. This program integrates hands-on sessions and a structured curriculum, covering a broad range of practical and theoretical topics. With over 300 applications for its inaugural round, it showcases a robust demand for such transformative experiences.

Additionally, our Horizon Scanning Workshops provide a forward-looking platform that explores emerging trends and challenges in genomics and bioinformatics. Each workshop engages experts to discuss future scientific opportunities and the ethical, legal, and social implications of new technologies, fostering a multidisciplinary dialogue that prepares the community for upcoming advancements.

All our programs are free and offered in a hybrid format to reduce barriers to entry and promote inclusivity. Together, these initiatives not only strengthen the capabilities of individual scientists and developers but also enhance the collective proficiency of the global bioinformatics community. By focusing on cutting-edge practices, mentorship, and proactive exploration of future trends, the BioDev Network is shaping a more inclusive and innovative scientific landscape.

• Michelle Brazas, Michelle Brazas, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
• Russell Schwartz, Russell Schwartz, Carnegie Mellon University

This session will provide a summary of topics covered at the Bioinformatics Education Summit (BES), an annual international gathering of the bioinformatics education committee. The BES has become the primary annual working meeting of the global bioinformatics education committee, where participants gather from around the world to share strategies and develop teaching materials. The session will report back on major outcomes of the 2024 Summit, which was held May 20-22 in New York, USA.

• Pavlin G. Poličar, Pavlin G. Poličar, University of Ljubljana
• Martin Špendl, Martin Špendl, University of Ljubljana
• Tomaž Curk, Tomaž Curk, University of Ljubljana
• Blaž Zupan, Blaž Zupan, University of Ljubljana

We learn more effectively through experience and reflection than through passive reception of information. Bioinformatics offers an excellent opportunity for project-based learning. Molecular data is abundant and accessible in open repositories, and important concepts in biology can be rediscovered by reanalyzing the data. In the manuscript, we report on five hands-on assignments we designed for master’s computer science students to train them in bioinformatics. These assignments are the cornerstones of our introductory bioinformatics course and are centered around the study of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They assume no prior knowledge of molecular biology but do require programming skills. Through these assignments students learn about genomes and genes, discover their composition and function, relate SARS-CoV-2 to other viruses, and learn about the body’s response to infection. Student evaluation of the assignments confirms their usefulness and value, their appropriate mastery-level difficulty, and their interesting and motivating storyline.

• Nelly Sélem-Mojica, Nelly Sélem-Mojica, Centro de Ciencias Matemáticas
• Tülay Karakulak, Tülay Karakulak, Department of Molecular Life Sciences and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
• Audra Anjum, Audra Anjum, Office of Instructional Design
• Antón Pashkov, Antón Pashkov, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia
• Rafael Pérez Estrada, Rafael Pérez Estrada, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia
• Karina Enriquez-Guillén, Karina Enriquez-Guillén, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia
• Dan DeBlasio, Dan DeBlasio, Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department
• Sofia Ferreira-Gonzalez, Sofia Ferreira-Gonzalez, Centre for Inflammation Research

Motivation: Wikipedia is a vital open educational resource in computational biology. The quality of computational biology coverage in English Wikipedia has improved steadily in recent years. However, there is an increasingly large ‘knowledge gap’ between computational biology resources in English Wikipedia, and Wikipedias in non-English languages. Reducing this knowledge gap by providing educational resources in non-English languages would reduce language barriers which disadvantage non-native English speaking learners across multiple dimensions in computational biology.
Results: Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of computational biology coverage in Spanish Wikipedia, the second most accessed Wikipedia worldwide. Using Spanish Wikipedia as a case study, we generate quantitative and qualitative data before and after a targeted educational event, specifically, a Spanish-focused student editing competition. Our data demonstrates how such events and activities can narrow the knowledge gap between English and non-English educational resources, by improving existing articles and creating new articles. Finally, based on our analysis, we suggest ways to prioritise future initiatives to improve open educational resources in other languages.

• Francis Ouellette

Over the past 25 years, Bioinformatics.ca has been at the forefront of bioinformatics education in Canada. Initially launched as a series of introductory workshops spanning one to two weeks spearheaded by the Canadian Genetics Diseases Network (CGDN) in British Columbia, the Canadian Bioinformatics Workshop (CBW) Series identified the need for specialized, cutting-edge course material. Responding to this demand, the CBW adapted its teaching model and expanded its scope through a new partnership with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).

This evolution has seen the CBW Series diversify its offerings and significantly enhance its impact. To date, over 170 workshops have been successfully conducted across 12 cities in Canada and even in New York, thanks to the dedication of key instructors, project managers, and numerous sponsors. These workshops have provided invaluable training to thousands of participants, helping to advance the field of bioinformatics.

In this presentation, we will delve into the rich history of Bioinformatics.ca, highlighting the major successes, challenges, and lessons learned over the past quarter-century. We will also explore the collaborative efforts and innovative strategies that have enabled the CBW Series to maintain its relevance and effectiveness in an ever-evolving scientific landscape.