Students and officials attending the workshop.
Doha: Qatar University (QU) Biomedical Research Center (BRC) organised a workshop on “Viral Genomics and Bioinformatics”.
The workshop, which was held from October 31 to November 4, was organised by Dr. Hebah AlKhatib from Qatar University, with the support of Qatar Genome Programme, and the sponsorship of Qatar Scientific Company. The training consisted of a series of lectures and hand-on sessions, to provide the participants with basic knowledge on viral genome sequencing and data analysis.
Participants learnt to analyse large sequencing datasets using graphical user interface (GUI) programmes as well as command-line tools.
In addition to gaining knowledge and skills, the workshop aims to provide an environment for exchanging ideas and developing future collaborative projects between different stakeholders interested in virology research in Qatar. The trainees represented different institutions and stakeholders in Qatar.
The continuous emergence of new viruses such as the recent SARS-CoV-2, along with the ongoing evolution of new viral strains, raises the alarm about the importance of preparedness planning, and building knowledge to ensure effective responses to emerging infectious diseases.
