The African Initiative for Bioinformatics Online Training in Neurodegenerative Diseases (AI-BOND): Investing in the next generation of African neuroscientists

IF 4.9 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Alzheimer''s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions Pub Date : 2024-10-31 DOI:10.1002/trc2.70002

Bernard Fongang, Biniyam A. Ayele, Yannick N. Wadop, Emmanuel Epenge, Cyrille D. Nkouonlack, Wepnyu Y. Njamnshi, Xueqiu Jian, Murali Sargurupremraj, Alice B. S. Nono Djotsa, Paul F. Seke Etet, Rebecca Bernal, Abdon Atangana, Jose E. Cavazos, Jayandra Jung Himali, Alfred N. Fonteh, Gladys Maestre, Alfred K. Njamnshi, Sudha Seshadri

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and AD-related dementias (AD/ADRD), pose significant challenges to health care systems globally, particularly in Africa. With the advances in medical technology and research capabilities, especially in next-generation sequencing and imaging, vast amounts of data have been generated from AD/ADRD research. Given that the greatest increase in AD/ADRD prevalence is expected to occur in Africa, it is critical to establish comprehensive bioinformatics training programs to help African scientists leverage existing data and collect additional information to untangle AD/ADRD heterogeneity in African populations. The South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, with efforts from the National Institutes of Health and the Global Brain Health Institute, has partnered with the Brain Research Africa Initiative to develop the African Initiative on Bioinformatics Online Training in Neurodegenerative Disease (AI-BOND). AI-BOND is a comprehensive and accessible training program, the aim of which is to advance biostatistics and bioinformatics expertise in Africa in studying neurodegenerative diseases. This expertise is essential to enable African scientists to utilize the extensive AD/ADRD data and enhance the continent's ability to contribute to global research efforts in this field. The training addresses the gap in analyzing neurodegenerative disease data by providing skills and knowledge in genetic epidemiology, biostatistics, and bioinformatics to African students and researchers. This innovative online training program will last 6 months and provide training in skill sets R, SAS, and Python programing, genome-wide association studies, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, microbiome analysis, and advanced statistical methods. Additional training will include study design and manuscript and grant writing. The first cohort of the AI-BOND program will graduate in June 2024. The AI-BOND program is expected to build research computational capacities in Africa that will improve the ability of graduates to conduct and utilize large-scale studies, with the goal of curbing the growing incidence of neurodegenerative diseases in Africa.

Highlights

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) pose significant health challenges globally, particularly in Africa.
The most significant AD/ADRD prevalence increase is predicted to occur in Africa.
It is crucial to establish a bioinformatics training capacity in Africa to leverage the vast number of multi-omics and imaging biomarkers of AD/ADRD data being generated.
The African Initiative on Bioinformatics Online Training in Neurodegenerative Disease (AI-BOND) training addresses the gaps in study design, biostatistics, genetic epidemiology, and bioinformatics related to neurodegenerative diseases in Africa.
The success of AI-BOND is anticipated to help build computational research capacities in Africa.

Abstract Image

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非洲神经退行性疾病生物信息学在线培训计划（AI-BOND）：投资于下一代非洲神经科学家

神经退行性疾病，包括阿尔茨海默病和老年痴呆症（AD/ADRD），给全球，尤其是非洲的医疗保健系统带来了巨大挑战。随着医疗技术和研究能力的进步，特别是下一代测序和成像技术的发展，AD/ADRD 研究产生了大量数据。鉴于阿兹海默症/阿兹海默症发病率的最大增幅预计将出现在非洲，因此建立全面的生物信息学培训计划以帮助非洲科学家利用现有数据并收集更多信息，从而解开非洲人群中阿兹海默症/阿兹海默症异质性的谜团至关重要。在美国国立卫生研究院（National Institutes of Health）和全球脑健康研究所（Global Brain Health Institute）的努力下，南德克萨斯阿尔茨海默病研究中心（South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center）与非洲脑研究计划（Brain Research Africa Initiative）合作开发了非洲神经退行性疾病生物信息学在线培训计划（AI-BOND）。AI-BOND 是一个全面、便捷的培训计划，旨在提高非洲研究神经退行性疾病的生物统计学和生物信息学专业知识。这些专业知识对于非洲科学家利用广泛的 AD/ADRD 数据和提高非洲大陆为这一领域的全球研究工作做出贡献的能力至关重要。培训通过向非洲学生和研究人员提供遗传流行病学、生物统计学和生物信息学方面的技能和知识，弥补了分析神经退行性疾病数据方面的不足。这项创新的在线培训计划将持续 6 个月，提供 R、SAS 和 Python 程序设计、全基因组关联研究、基因组学、转录组学、蛋白质组学、代谢组学、微生物组分析和高级统计方法等方面的技能培训。其他培训还包括研究设计、手稿和补助金撰写。AI-BOND 计划的第一批学生将于 2024 年 6 月毕业。AI-BOND 计划有望在非洲建立研究计算能力，提高毕业生开展和利用大规模研究的能力，从而遏制非洲神经退行性疾病发病率的增长。亮点阿尔茨海默病（AD）和与 AD 相关的痴呆症（ADRD）对全球，尤其是非洲的健康构成了重大挑战。据预测，非洲的阿兹海默病/阿兹海默病相关痴呆症患病率将出现最明显的增长。在非洲建立生物信息学培训能力，以利用正在生成的大量多组学和 AD/ADRD 影像生物标志物数据至关重要。非洲神经退行性疾病生物信息学在线培训倡议（AI-BOND）培训旨在解决非洲在研究设计、生物统计学、遗传流行病学以及与神经退行性疾病相关的生物信息学方面存在的差距。预计 AI-BOND 的成功将有助于提高非洲的计算研究能力。

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来源期刊

Alzheimer''s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions Medicine-Psychiatry and Mental Health

CiteScore

10.10

自引率

2.10%

发文量

134

审稿时长

10 weeks

期刊介绍： Alzheimer''s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (TRCI) is a peer-reviewed, open access,journal from the Alzheimer''s Association®. The journal seeks to bridge the full scope of explorations between basic research on drug discovery and clinical studies, validating putative therapies for aging-related chronic brain conditions that affect cognition, motor functions, and other behavioral or clinical symptoms associated with all forms dementia and Alzheimer''s disease. The journal will publish findings from diverse domains of research and disciplines to accelerate the conversion of abstract facts into practical knowledge: specifically, to translate what is learned at the bench into bedside applications. The journal seeks to publish articles that go beyond a singular emphasis on either basic drug discovery research or clinical research. Rather, an important theme of articles will be the linkages between and among the various discrete steps in the complex continuum of therapy development. For rapid communication among a multidisciplinary research audience involving the range of therapeutic interventions, TRCI will consider only original contributions that include feature length research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, brief reports, narrative reviews, commentaries, letters, perspectives, and research news that would advance wide range of interventions to ameliorate symptoms or alter the progression of chronic neurocognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer''s disease. The journal will publish on topics related to medicine, geriatrics, neuroscience, neurophysiology, neurology, psychiatry, clinical psychology, bioinformatics, pharmaco-genetics, regulatory issues, health economics, pharmacoeconomics, and public health policy as these apply to preclinical and clinical research on therapeutics.