A training package to strengthen Turkey’s national capacity on whole genome sequencing (WGS), bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology is in development following a meeting of global and regional experts in Ankara on 18–21 January 2022.
The WHO Turkey Country Office held the meeting to develop a comprehensive training package on bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 and other high-threat pathogens. The initiative falls within the scope of the ‘Strengthening National Capacities Against COVID-19’ project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Turkish Ministry of Health, with technical collaboration from the WHO Turkey Country Office.
Diverse collaboration
A total of 43 participants attended the 4-day meeting, both in person and virtually. These included experts from the Turkish Ministry of Health, WHO/Europe and 4 other WHO regional offices, and WHO headquarters, and technical experts from WHO collaborating centres and universities from across the WHO European Region.
The meeting began by mapping the needs and existing initiatives related to genomic sequencing in each WHO region, with a broad overview of the global genomic sequencing strategy provided by WHO headquarters. 5 overarching themes were defined and, within each of these, several topics were identified and further refined into individual training modules over the course of the meeting. Learning objectives and broad content areas for each module were mapped out, including the use of different bioinformatic tools, pipelines and their applications, as well as using global databases, such as GISAID and TESSy, for data sharing and analysis.
Practical demonstrations, exercises and activities were designed for each module to ensure an interactive and practical experience for trainees. Adaptations required for different pathogens and laboratory levels were also considered and the overall structure, timing and training approach for the course was agreed. Dr Katharina Kopp, consultant for the Strengthening National Capacities Against COVID-19 project in Turkey, said that the Technical Working Group worked as a team to develop a very detailed and practical outline of the course content.
Next steps
Following the meeting, the project team will further develop the detailed training content for all modules and, in early 2022, will organize and deliver in Turkey a series of interactive workshops on bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens.
Working with the WHO Country Office Turkey on this project, National Virology Reference Laboratory Chief Prof Gülay Korukluoğlu said that, after this training is delivered, WGS capacity will be expanded to 2 regional public health laboratories to provide advanced molecular techniques in Turkey, not only against COVID-19, but against all public health threats that may arise from now on.
Regional and global application
The comprehensive training package will contribute to building a network of trained, experienced and competent staff, thus strengthening the public health laboratory workforce in Turkey and beyond.
“I believe that this TWG meeting is important because the needs being addressed – developing a training package on bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology – exist in many countries around the world and have been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic,” commented Philomena Raftery, the Technical Officer for the Strengthening National Capacities Against COVID-19 project in Turkey.
“Our intention is that what we develop in Turkey will be made available to stakeholders in other countries to adapt, adopt and apply to build the capacity of the global public health laboratory workforce in these critical technical areas,” she added.