Members of the Bioinformatics For Ukraine initiative reached another significant milestone by participating in the Biological Data Science Summer School (BDS^3) in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. The event, co-organized by the UzhNU Information Technology Center and attended by world-renowned scientists in the field of bioinformatics, provided a transformative learning experience for more than 70 students from various cities in Ukraine. The two-week program, held between July 2-14, aimed to introduce participants to advanced methods of bioinformatics and computational analysis of modern data types in biology and biomedicine, including genomics and multiomics.
World-renowned scientists and experts attended the event. Wolfgang Huber, a distinguished statistician from EMBL, Germany, and co-founder of Bioconductor, provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of biology as a data science and emphasized the importance of automated data analysis techniques in fields like medicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Robert Gentleman, also founder of Bioconductor and renowned statistician from Harvard University, USA, joined the Summer School as a lecturer. He was impressed by the enthusiasm and skills of the students and emphasized their potential to make significant contributions to Ukraine’s scientific community.
The BDS^3 program included a wide range of activities, including lectures on fundamental theories, practical exercises and group work. Participants gained comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to analyze various types of data using programming languages such as R/Bioconductor and Python. Real-world datasets from recent international research projects were used during the workshops, providing a hands-on learning experience.
The Bioinformatics for Ukraine initiative expresses its deep gratitude to the organizers, the UzhNU Information Technology Center, and all the distinguished speakers for making this experience possible. The Summer School has left a lasting impact on the participants, equipping them with the necessary skills and global vision to contribute to the advancement of bioinformatics and computational analysis in Ukraine.