Course Overview: The Research Data Management (RDM) short course introduces the principles and practices of RDM and practical advice for implementing these practices in African research context. Topics covered include data discovery and re-use, data documentation and organization, data standards and Ontology, data storage and security, repositories and policies, FAIR & reproducibility and best practices in developing an effective data management plan (DMP).

Intended Audience: The course is aimed at the graduate students and biomedical scientists who are currently working on clinical, genomics and bioinformatics projects in Africa. The course is also aimed at those working in the field of data science.

 

Logistics

Venue of course: Online through Zoom.

Dates for the course: 26-29 June 2023; from 10:00 CAT to 14:00 CAT.

Course organizers: Faisal Fadlelmola, Katherine Johnston, Verena Ras, Melek Chaouch, Lyndon Zass, Ziyaad Parker, Ayton Meintjes, Sumir Panji and Nicola Mulder.

Participation: The course is available to any participant who is able to attend the Zoom sessions and the interactive hours with the course instructors for the days of the course.

Course Sponsors: H3ABioNet

 

Participant applications:

Registration for participants opens:  3rd April 2023

Registration for participants closes: 24th April 2023

Notification date for successful Applicants: 5th June 2023

Link to participant application form: Participant applications have now closed. Successful participants will be notified at the notification date stated above.

 

Course Curriculum:

Module 1: Data & research life cycle
Module 2: Curation, data types and privacy issues
Module 3: Standards, taxonomy & Ontology
Module 4: Preservation, repositories, security and policies
Module 5: FAIR & Reproducibility
Module 6: Data transfers, encryption and sharing
Module 7: Data Management Plan (DMP)

 

Course Schedule:

Date

Session 1

10:00-11:00am (CAT)

Session 2

11:00-12:00am (CAT) 

Session 3 

12:00-1:00pm (CAT)

 

Interactive Session with Instructor/s

1:00-2:00pm (CAT)

Monday

26 June 2023

Module 1:

Introduction to Research Data Management

Module 2.1:

Data Types & Data Curation

Module 2.2:

Data privacy

Faisal Fadlelmola; Katherine Johnston & Verena Ras

Tuesday 27 June 2023

Module 3: Standards, taxonomy & Ontology

Module 4.1:

Lecture

Module 4.2:

Lecture

Lyndon Zass; Ayton Meintjes and Ziyaad Parker

Wednesday 

28 June 2023

Module 5.1: Lecture

Module 5.2:

FAIR Tutorial

Module 6: Data transfers, encryption and sharing

Gerrit Botha; Suresh Maslamoney; Melek Chaouch & Ziyaad Parker (Interactive session)

Thursday 

29 June 2023

Module 7.1: Lecture

Module 7.2:

DMP Tutorial Grp A

Module 7.3:

DMP Tutorial Grp B

Faisal Fadlelmola; Ayton Meintjes

 

Prerequisites: A basic background/understanding of biochemistry, molecular biology and/or genetics. Those with a background  in computer science and data science with experience in bioinformatics are welcome to apply.

Objectives: After this RDM short course participants should be able to:

  1. Understand what research data management is;
  2. Recognize why research data management is necessary;
  3. Understand best practices and aspects for research data management; and
  4. Have a knowledge of the RDM tools available at your institution and online.

Course limitations: This course will only provide a foundation for continued learning in research data management and will not teach any advanced RDM aspects.