TIHRAD, through the leadership of Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Director of Research, Innovation, and Public Health Programs and ASM Young Ambassador to Nigeria, advanced its commitment to scientific capacity strengthening by organizing two major virtual workshops in collaboration with the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and Genomac Institute Inc. The workshops, held in July and early August 2025, were designed to enhance the skills of students and early-career researchers in bioinformatics, genomics, and health data analysis by providing practical, hands-on learning experiences led by expert facilitators.

The first workshop focused on bioinformatics and microbial genomics, exposing participants to foundational and intermediate concepts such as genomic data structures, microbial phylogenetics, comparative genomics, and pangenome prediction. Facilitators from Genomac Institute Inc. guided attendees through real-life biomedical datasets, helping them learn essential computational workflows and interpret genomic variations with confidence. The second workshop expanded participants’ analytical capabilities through training on statistical foundations, variable classification, data cleaning, descriptive statistics, data transformation, and inferential statistical techniques. This workshop was facilitated by specialists from Dournuel Data School, who delivered structured modules that progressively built participants’ analytical and critical reasoning skills.

With 446 registrations for the bioinformatics workshop and 482 for the data analysis workshop, the program attracted participants from universities across Nigeria and West Africa, including the University of Ilorin, University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Kwara State University, University of Lagos, and Université Joseph KI-ZERBO (Burkina Faso). Average daily attendance was about 100 participants, many of whom engaged actively, asked questions, and completed assessments designed to reinforce their learning. All participants received access to recorded sessions, learning templates, and supplementary materials to support continuous practice.

The workshops not only strengthened the technical capacity of emerging scientists but also enhanced TIHRAD’s visibility as a leader in digital research training. Through these collaborative efforts, TIHRAD contributed meaningfully to expanding the pipeline of African researchers equipped to work with genomic data, apply statistical tools, and engage with modern scientific innovations essential for addressing public health challenges.