Open Technology Week #OpenTechCam2015 Cambridge, UK - July 26 th, 2015 Open technology for scientific capacity development Open Technology Workshop Dr Jelena Aleksic and Dr Tom Baden trendinafrica.org

Who are TReND in Africa? Courses and Workshops - Insect Neuroscience and neurogenetics - Building Extracellular Amplifiers - Molecular Biology - Bioinformatics approaches to NGS - Epigenetics and neurological disorders Donations, Outreach and Innovation - Equipment donations shipped - Outreach projects supported - 3D printing lab equipment - TReNDberry Pi and Arduino Projects - Leveraging Open-Source Soft/Hardware TReND in Africa: Founded 2011

Research training Research facilities Cost- effective model systems Open source Skills transfer programme Outreach

Slater Fund Department of Zoology (Cambridge), Richard Morris (London), Jim Haseloff (Plant sciences,Cambridge), FMI (Basel, with Gerit Linnenweber), Leon Lagnado (LMB, Cambridge), Bernardo Sabatini (Harvard), Berthold Hedwig (zoology, Cambridge), Jean-Paul Vincent (MRC, London), UCSD, Harvard University, Isabel Palacios (Cambridge), Dolores Martin (CSIC), Marta Vicente How it all began

Where is TReND in Africa now?

Research training Intensive practical-based schools: IBRO school on insect neuroscience and Drosophila neurogenetics (Uganda & Tanzania) – 5 th starting in August. TReND school on molecular biology of brain ageing (Mekelle, Ethiopia) – 1 st just finished TReND-ICIPE school on bio-informatics (Nairobi, Kenya) – Calls open, November 2015 TReND school on “How to build your own equipment with open source resources” (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) Human brain imaging and behavioural neuroscience course – being planned

Equipment donations paired with short visits from experts upon request from partner Universities Support research facilities and Skills transfer programme

Support research facilities and Skills transfer programme Important equipment donated so far to Universities in Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria

Optimising resources Use of cost-effective model organisms State-of-the-art genetics in Drosophila, Anopheles, Aedes Physiology methods in bees, grasshopers and crickets

The promise of computational biology Bioinformatics: Low cost and scientifically powerful. A lot of data and tools are freely available It is mainly expertise that is required to analyse and use them. ~£25 Lower overheads and need for specialised equipment make this a promising area for developing cutting edge, low cost research Computers can also be low cost.

How we run our workshops African-led -Researchers at participating institutions select the topics and focus of the workshops for further technical training. - The workshops are run collaboratively. Pan-African participation -The students attend our courses from across the African continent. -As well as valuable technical training, this provides a strong peer network and follow-on support. Hands on / intensive - Our workshops provide immersive training in the most cutting-edge research techniques in molecular biology and bioinformatics. The instructors -TReND is a network of volunteer scientists from top world universities. - The trainers at our workshops are experts in their fields. Instructors were shipped from worldwide

What our students say about us “You have ignited in me a real passion. This is the best course I ever attended” “Working on real data enhanced our grasp of the theory” “The choice of topics were superb” “The lecturers were knowledgeable and passionate about their topics” “The ‘do it yourself’ approach enabled the students to learn the material faster and better” “The practical lessons were very well conducted and no-one was left behind” “Very engaging. You wouldn’t leave a class without learning something.”

Participants = colleagues /participant = students /participant = Young people in outreach = st year benefit = TReND long-term impact Impact, Benefit and Longevity Enhanced knowledge and skills of African scientists - Acquisition of practical advanced research skills - Advance individual research projects - A new generation of molecular biologists and data analysts Improved research capacity across Africa - Students from different academic institutions - Expertise and skills back to home departments Improved undergraduate teaching - African scientists begin lecturing after undergraduate degree - Improved training & course materials for undergraduates Outreach initiatives - TReND course alumni are keen to reach young people - Improved scientific education -> more African scientists - Drive towards scientific independence for Africa Plus staff-taught participants … as well as their colleagues and students.

Thank you! Open Technology Week #OpenTechCam2015 Cambridge, UK - July 26 th, 2015 trendinafrica.org