@article{fdi:010092672,
  title = {{C}hallenges and opportunities of developing bioinformatics platforms in {A}frica : the case of {B}urkina{B}ioinfo at {J}oseph {K}i-{Z}erbo {U}niversity, {B}urkina {F}aso},
  author = {{T}ibiri, {E}. {B}. and {B}oua, {P}. {R}. and {S}oulama, {I}. and {D}ubreuil {T}ranchant, {C}hristine and {T}ando, {N}domassi and {T}ollenaere, {C}harlotte and {B}rugidou, {C}hristophe and {N}anema, {R}. {K}. and {T}iendrebeogo, {F}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ioinformatics, an interdisciplinary field combining biology and computer science, enables meaningful information to be extracted from complex biological data. {T}he exponential growth of biological data, driven by high-throughput omics technologies and advanced sequencing methods, requires robust computational resources. {W}orldwide, bioinformatics skills and computational clusters are essential for managing and analysing large-scale biological datasets across health, agriculture, and environmental science, which are crucial for the {A}frican continent. {I}n {B}urkina {F}aso, the establishment of bioinformatics infrastructure has been a gradual process. {I}nitial training initiatives between 2015-2016, including bioinformatics courses and the establishment of the {B}urkina{B}ioinfo ({BB}i) platform, marked significant progress. {O}ver 250 scientists have been trained at diverse levels in bioinformatics, 105 user accounts have been created for high-performance computing access. {O}perational since 2019, this platform has significantly facilitated training programs for scientists and system administrators in west {A}frica, covering data production, introductory bioinformatics, phylogenetic analysis, and metagenomics. {F}inancial and technical support from various sources has facilitated the rapid development of the platform to meet the growing need for bioinformatics analysis, particularly in conjunction with local 'wet labs'. {E}stablishing a bioinformatics cluster in {B}urkina {F}aso involved identifying the needs of researchers, selecting appropriate hardware and installing the necessary bioinformatics tools. {A}t present, the main challenges for the {BB}i platform include ongoing staff training in bioinformatics skills and high-level {IT} infrastructure management in the face of growing infrastructure demands. {D}espite these challenges, the establishment of a bioinformatics platform in {B}urkina {F}aso offers significant opportunities for scientific research and economic development in the country.},
  keywords = {bioinformatics ; {B}urkina{B}ioinfo ; challenges ; training ; {BURKINA} {FASO}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}riefings in {B}ioinformatics},
  volume = {26},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {bbaf040 [5 p.]},
  ISSN = {1467-5463},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1093/bib/bbaf040},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010092672},
}