Capacity building for bioinformatics in Latin America

Data-driven biology promises to have a major impact on health, agriculture and environmental management. However, in Latin America uptake of data-driven biology has lagged behind despite a clear need. For example, Analysis of human genome data submitted to public databases shows that populations of African and Latin American descent, Hispanics, and indigenous people are barely represented in genomics studies[1]. Given the need to have genome data from those populations for the development of precision medicine in clinical practice, it is necessary to boost the collection of genomics data in Latin American populations. A similar scenario is found for biodiversity in the region, where there is a gap in the knowledge of the majority of the living organisms, which represents over 60% of the total number of terrestrial species on the biosphere[2]. Only by understanding the impact on biodiversity of human-driven activities such as intensive farming and urbanisation can we find a balance between economic development and the preservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
We propose a capacity-building programme, led by EMBL-EBI in close collaboration with new and existing collaborators in Latin American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela - all countries on the ODA development list. Through a combination of secondments, training workshops, eLearning resources and 'train-the-trainer' activities, we will sustainably build expertise in the fundamental skills required to generate, store, visualise, analyse and interpret biomolecular data. We will focus on three use cases: (1) Food security; (2) Data-driven monitoring and management of communicable disease; and (3) monitoring biodiversity.
Biological data can be used to track pandemics in humans and livestock (the recent Zikavirus outbreak, for example), understand and mitigate the causes of crop failure, and monitor biodiversity. Our top priority area in the ODA development strategy is therefore strengthening resilience and response to crises.
Latin America is a major producer and exporter of meat, fruit, vegetables and coffee. Biofuel production is also growing. These industries are crucial for the development of the region, and yet put huge pressure on Latin America's unparalleled biodiversity, which is not only of enormous importance in its own right but also contributes to economic prosperity through ecotourism. Data-driven biology can facilitate the production of crops and livestock that are more resilient to environmental challenges and enables sophisticated monitoring of an area's biodiversity. Our second priority area in the ODA development strategy is therefore promoting global prosperity.
By incorporating training on how to manage bioinformatics research infrastructure, and by involving local funders and policymakers in these workshops, we hope to contribute to the professionalisation of bioinformatics services throughout the region. This will enhance Latin America's ability to provide a significant contribution to international research projects such as the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health.
Expected outcomes of the project include:
Increased use of bioinformatics tools and resources to solve research problems of direct relevance to the ODA development strategy
Increased use of bioinformatics to solve applied research problems
A sustainable network of skilled bioinformaticians who are also motivated and talented trainers of other researchers
Enduring collaborations and mentorships that encourage women and other underrepresented groups in the research community to develop successful careers in bioinformatics and related subjects.
[1] Popejoy, A.B., & Fullerton, S.M. (2016) Genomics is failing on diversity. Nature, 538(7624), 161
[2] UNEP-WCMC (2016) The State of Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean: A mid-term review of progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. UNEP-WCMC, UK

Building links and contacts: We have developed innovative instruments to reach a large number of scientists in the region. Our proposal includes leading scientists in 6 Latin American countries on the ODA list and a mechanism for reaching out to more. Each partner has committed to nucleating a bioinformatics community of practice in their country, hosting workshops for scientists throughout the region, identifying candidates for secondments, and locating potential hosts for secondments in Latin America. This will accelerate implementation of state of the art -omics and bioinformatics to solve problems of direct relevance to economic growth and crisis mitigation.
We will improve accessibility and scalability of our programme with elearning courses in a 'responsive' format appropriate for mobile devices. We will use this platform to reach out to those who might not have the opportunity to participate in face-to-face courses.
Co-production of knowledge: Our training model emphasises collaboration with scientists in the UK, throughout Latin America, and in major international initiatives. This will build a sustainable community of bioinformatics experts in the region, well placed to contribute significantly to science on a global scale. It is essential that our project respects cultural diversity and the knowledge of Latin America's indigenous peoples; we will seek input from our partners on how best to share this knowledge (e.g. medicinal use of native species) whilst allowing intellectual property to remain with its originators. Key to the entire programme will be our inclusivity policy: travel funds for 30% of the places on our workshops will be used to incentivise participation by women and minority ethnic groups. The inclusion of women and minority groups as trainers, trainees, visitors and supervisors will similarly be incentivised, and a mentorship programme will underpin this.
Impact on economic development and wellbeing in Latin America: Our project will close the gap between developed and developing countries in genomics and bioinformatics, stimulating critical and creative thinking for development based on local needs. Participants in the programme will be trained to develop innovative solutions to major local problems such as those concerned with tropical and subtropical human diseases, monitoring the under-studied magnificent biodiversity in the region, and investigating vulnerability of crops and environments to climate change.
Legacy of the project: Our project focuses primarily on capacity building for data-driven biological research through a network of experts throughout the region, with lasting international collaborations anchored in the UK and outcomes that will be made use of by the research community at large (see objectives section). However, we cannot ignore the potential of our consortium to inspire the next generation of Latin American life scientists. Providing support and training materials suitable for tertiary education is the first step in this direction: our train the trainer courses will provide guidance and content suitable for tertiary educators, and we have established links with universities in the region. Some of our partners have also delivered successful outreach projects to schools (The Ondas programme in Colombia, for example). We will organise a summit meeting towards the end of the project to bring together scientists, teachers and other stakeholders to share expertise on how to inspire the next generation. Our programme fits the requirement of strong global and regional collaborations that are aligned with the Education 2030 goals. We will strengthen mobility of staff and learners, and the flow of students moving abroad to enhance academic credentials, students' competencies, and global competitiveness.