About
Bioinformatics Series in Botswana
A capacity-building series in viral genomics, bioinformatics, AI, and data science, hosted in Gaborone by the Botswana Harvard Partnership (BHP) with partners across the African continent.
The series has two aims: build practical analytical skills among African researchers, and harmonize the tools and workflows used across sites so that results are comparable and outbreak response is faster.
Bioinformatics, AI and Data Science Training 2026
16–17 July 2026 · Cresta Hotel, Gaborone
Hosted by BHP and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH)
Teaching team
Dr. Malika Aid Boudries Invited Instructor Multi-OMICS profiling, machine learning, bulk RNA-Seq, single cell multiome, and integration site profiling
Dr. Wonderful T. Choga Co-Organizer and Instructor: AI Head of the Bioinformatics Unit, Senior Bioinformatician and Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Medical Virology, Botswana Harvard Health Partnership; Adjunct Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe; Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics, NUST (Zimbabwe)
Prof. Catherine Koofhethile Organizer & BHP Training and Development Manager Welcome remarks and closing
Mr. Phenyo Sabone Co-Organizer & Technical Support Health Informatics Officer, Data Manager & IT Professional, BHP; research computing and software installation
Virus Evolution and Genomics Workshop 2025
8–12 September 2025 · Gaborone
Supported by SANTHE and the BHP
See the full report and programme.
Faculty and facilitators
Dr. Wonderful T. Choga Course Organizer; Keynote Foundations of virus evolution and phylogenetics; command line; structural biology and 3D mutation annotation
Dr. Gaerolwe Masheto Welcome Address Chief Operations Officer, Botswana Harvard Partnership
Prof. Sikhulile Moyo Workshop Objectives; Keynote Current landscape of viral genomics in Africa; phylogenetics; diversity and transmitted founder viruses
Dr. Simani Gaseitsiwe Workshop Coordinator Gates Foundation and SANTHE partnership
Prof. Catherine K. Koofhethile Keynote Trends in HIV research (HIV cure)
Dr. San E. James Instructor Phylogenetics; viral diversity; recombination; AI in genomics
Mrs. Natasha O. Moraka-Mankge Instructor Mutational analysis; HIV drug resistance mutations
Mr. Kedumetse Seru Instructor From sample to sequence
Derek Tshiabuila Instructor Viral recombination
Teaching assistants
Natasha Moraka-Mankge · Tsholo · Moses · Maclay · Kioko Mwikali · Frank Kato · Phenyo Sabone
Partners and support
The series is made possible by SANTHE, the SANTHE–Gates Foundation partnership, the Botswana Harvard Health Institute, the University of Botswana, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and partner institutions across Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, and Malawi.
Contact
Administrative queries: virusevolution@bhp.org.bw
Workshop coordinators: Dr. Choga, Dr. Gaseitsiwe, Prof. Moyo