Training & Courses
Building capacity in bioinformatics and genomics
Training Services at NUBRI
NUBRI offers specialized training services aimed at empowering researchers, students, and professionals in the fields of biomedical science and bioinformatics. These programs are conducted by NUBRI's expert staff and in collaboration with internationally recognized institutions.
Research Attachment Program (RAP)
Established in 2018, NUBRI's Research Attachment Program (RAP) is designed to train researcher and graduate students in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Structural Biology, Molecular Docking & Drug Design, through hands-on experience in real-world research. Over a period of 3 to 6 months, participants are integrated into ongoing projects, where they gain practical skills in sequence data analysis, contribute to scientific publications, and work closely with experienced researchers.
The program emphasizes the use of real data generated from NUBRI's active research streams, allowing trainees to apply bioinformatics software tools and web-based platforms for comprehensive data analysis.
Between 2018 and 2023, over 80 RAP participants have successfully completed the program, representing diverse disciplines such as biotechnology, pharmacy, molecular biology, veterinary medicine, medical laboratory science, general medicine, and dentistry.
Training & Capacity Building
Since 2017, the NUBRI has been dedicated to strengthening national and regional research capacity through high-quality workshops, training programs, and the development of computational infrastructure. Conducted in collaboration with leading international partners, these initiatives focus on key disciplines including bioinformatics, genomics, molecular biology, biostatistics, and computational drug discovery.
To date, NUBRI has organized over 28 specialized workshops, led by both in-house scientists and international experts, successfully training more than 750 participants from diverse academic, clinical, and research backgrounds.
In 2023, NUBRI established Galaxy NUBRI, a localized instance of the globally recognized Galaxy bioinformatics platform. This initiative significantly enhances the institute's capacity to deliver hands-on, reproducible bioinformatics training using cloud-based tools and customized workflow.
Key Training Areas
- Bioinformatics & Computational Biology - Foundational and advanced training in sequence analysis, NGS data processing, functional genomics, and microbiome studies.
- Genomics & Molecular Biology - Practical laboratory training including nucleic acid extraction, PCR/qPCR, and molecular diagnostics.
- Drug Discovery & Structural Biology - In silico drug design, molecular docking, protein structure modeling, and pharmacoinformatics.
- Biostatistics & Data Analysis - Statistical analysis using R, SPSS, and specialized bioinformatics tools for research applications.
Virtual Training & Regional Collaboration
In partnership with H3ABioNet (Pan African Bioinformatics Network for H3Africa) and other African consortia, NUBRI regularly organizes free online workshops. These events connect experts and learners across the continent to deliver:
- High-quality, accessible bioinformatics training
- A platform for regional knowledge exchange and collaboration
- Opportunities for cross-border research networking
- NUBRI's virtual programs have significantly contributed to building computational research capacity across Africa.