From February 24 to 28, 2025, the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID) hosted a transformative workshop aimed at building local capacity in bioinformatics and vector genomics. Held in the conference room on the fourth floor of CRID, the training brought together 19 participants, including Ph.D. students, research assistants, postdoctoral researchers, and IT staff—all eager to deepen their understanding of genomic data analysis.

This workshop was part of the African Centre for Vector Genomics (AVecGen) project, which seeks to democratize and decentralize Omics skills across Africa. Led by facilitators Gadji Mahamat, Raoul Tazokong, Arnaud Tepa, and Cédrique Noutchih, the sessions offered a mix of theory and hands-on practice tailored for beginners and intermediate learners in biology, entomology, and biotechnology.

Day 1 focused on the basics: participants were introduced to bioinformatics principles and next-generation sequencing technologies. The following days were packed with practical exercises, including RNA-seq data analysis, quality control using FastQC and MultiQC, sequence alignment with Hisat2, and data visualization in R. Trainees also explored advanced topics like whole genome analysis and alternative splicing using PoolSeq and RNA-Seq data.

Thanks to CRID’s IT team, participants had seamless access to servers and tools throughout the training. The workshop concluded with a sense of accomplishment and excitement for future learning. As Dr. Mewamba Estelle shared, “I feel more confident in handling genomic data. Although I will master all the concepts with time, at least I am no more afraid of the black screen.” Similarly, Josiane Bianda reflected, “One week ago, I didn't know anything about genes. Thanks to the facilitators’ explanations, I now have a better understanding of what it's all about and how to analyse related data.”

Chaired by Prof. Charles Wondji, Principal Investigator of the AVecGen project, the opening and closing ceremonies highlighted the importance of building scientific expertise within Africa. This workshop marks the beginning of a series of training sessions designed to empower African researchers with the tools they need to lead in the field of vector genomics.