Nurturing community development outside the classroom

Strengthening regional communities of practice through digital communication

Working with regional partners and global sponsors, we have fostered a thriving community of practice (CoP) for scientists working in genomics, based in Latin America. Through our practical training and symposia events, attendees have exchanged knowledge, developed new expertise, and discovered new approaches for tackling shared research problems. Together they have developed a network for continued learning and collaboration in genomics research. 

What happens to a network when the training ends?

Outside of the training environment it’s all too easy for scientists to lose the momentum for staying in touch once they return to their busy lives as students or researchers. This is why Connecting Science remains committed to introducing initiatives that continue to nurture these networks, encouraging them to grow and flourish. Acknowledging that the best research learnings come through the application of new skills and knowledge, we want our participants to continue sharing experiences once they return to the laboratory.

A key aim of our programme is to promote these communities widely, opening them up to more than one cohort of course participants; welcoming broader diversity and expertise to build on the multidisciplinary and intercultural value the CoP has to offer as it develops. To do this, we needed an effective approach for getting our LatAm community engaging and educating collaboratively, and on a sustained basis.

A group photos of the 2023 Single Cell Genomics course cohort in Brazil.
2023 Single Cell Genomics course cohort | Photo credit: Wellcome Connecting Science

The big question was - how?

We knew whatever we developed needed to be delivered without the expectation of expensive travel, and could easily blend into existing busy work schedules. Most importantly, it needed to be relevant and applicable to our community, to make it a valuable time investment for the scientists it was designed to serve.

There was an appetite among our trainers and participants to find a way to connect regularly online; but we wanted to make this an opportunity for meaningful interactions.

A LatAm webinar is born: pushing the boundaries of traditional digital learning 

Designed with key educational principles in mind, our LatAm webinar series was introduced, but with a difference – it was developed by the community for the community. From choosing the topics to selecting and contacting the speakers, the previous course participants are actively involved in developing the focus of the series, fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring relevance to their research needs.

I loved the training experience in Rio and the people I met there. The whole experience inspired me to participate in organising these webinars, to build community, to address shared challenges in Latin American countries (i.e. technology access barriers and population-specific data generation), maintain momentum and stay in touch, preventing post-conference disconnect.

Bianca Braga, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil 

Bianca Braga, from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and Dave Adams from Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK, standing together at the XXII Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Cell Biology (SBBC).
Bianca Braga and Dave Adams at the XXII Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Cell Biology (SBBC) | Photo credit: Bianca Braga

Our webinar series has charged our trainees with the responsibility of educating within their own community – enabling them to lead the way in developing cross-regional expertise. But it goes beyond education too.

The webinars provide an opportunity not only to share scientific knowledge and connect with the community, but also to explore career development by showcasing a diverse range of ‘paths to success’.

Isabela Malta, Wellcome Connecting Science, UK 

To date, 11 webinars have taken place over the last 12 months. Topics hone in on specific areas of genomics (including single-cell), featuring perspectives from a global line-up of senior scientists working in that area. This creates a win-win: the audience learns from, and engages with, global experts, while the experts share their knowledge and connect with early career researchers from Latin America. The format sparks fresh ideas and collaborations among all those who participate.

A series of headshot photos showcasing our 2024 speakers. Appearing from left to right: Yuki Matsushita, Nagasaki University, Japan Muzlifah Haniffa, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Omer Bayraktar Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Robert Judson Torres, University of Utah, USA Roser Vento, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Roman M. Natoli, Indiana University, USA Anastasia Tikhonova, University of Toronto, Canada Gosia Trynka, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Leonardo Collado Torres, Lieber Institute, USA Inna Smalley, Moffit Cancer Centre, USAPatricia Severino, Albert Einstein Research & Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
Speakers in 2024 contributed towards different aspects of our focus on single-cell genomics | Image credit: Estefania Vazquez

The webinars provide participants with valuable knowledge once a month, as well as insights into cutting-edge research applications across diverse fields, delivered by experienced researchers. Also, by sharing their career journeys and challenges, speakers provide guidance and motivation, particularly helpful during the ups and downs of the PhD journey!

Estefania Vazquez, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico 

Talks focused on single-cell genomics in 2024, building on the successes of our training courses that took place at our partner institution, the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA). 

Full list of 2024 webinar speakers:Yuki Matsushita, Nagasaki University, Japan Muzlifah Haniffa, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Omer Bayraktar, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Robert Judson Torres, University of Utah, USA Roser Vento, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Roman M. Natoli, Indiana University, USA Anastasia Tikhonova, University of Toronto, Canada Gosia Trynka, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK Leonardo Collado Torres, Lieber Institute, USA Inna Smalley, Moffit Cancer Centre, USA
Speakers were selected by our previous single cell genomics course participants, who trained with us in Brazil

The sessions end with an opportunity for questions, followed by our beloved quiz, which is now becoming an affectionately competitive tradition of our community.

Patricia Severino, Albert Einstein Research & Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil, sat in front of a laptop, hosting a webinar discussion online.
Patricia Severino, Albert Einstein Research & Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil, hosting a webinar discussion | Photo credit: Wellcome Connecting Science

The Quiz is five questions long and has a prize at the end. I think our unique format is what maintains the success of our proposal.

Bianca Braga, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil 

This initiative is a collaborative effort driven by two former Single Cell Genomics course participants—Bianca Braga, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, and Estefania Vazquez, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico. It is supported by David Adams, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK, Mariana Boroni and Patricia Possik, the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), and Isabela Malta and Alice Matimba, Wellcome Connecting Science, UK. 

Group photo taken in Brazil. Appearing left to right: Mariana Boroni, Patricia Possik, Isabela Malta and Etefania Vazquez Cruz. They are each smiling, and Etefania is holding up a single cell genomics course 'certificate of attendance'.
Group photo (left to right): Mariana Boroni, Patricia Possik, Isabela Malta and Etefania Vazquez Cruz | Photo credit: Wellcome Connecting Science

The webinars keep us connected to our community, and provide a way to help each other. I also see these talks as a way of establishing bridges between financially struggling countries, such as Latin America ones, and researchers from all over the world.

Bianca Braga, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil 

The results so far

These webinars now serve as a platform for sustainable scientific communication, collaboration and continued learning. In 2024, each webinar was attended by, on average, 40 participants with people joining from all over Latin America. These scientists have been empowered with the skills and expertise to draw additional value from a single training experience, maximising its impact. Importantly, through participation in these webinars, this group is creating a sustainable community of peers, and one that will only continue to grow over the coming years.

If you are based in Latin America or Central America, working in single cell genomics, and looking to connect with like minded peers, contact our team via email at global.training@wellcomeconnectingscience.org, for more information about how to join our webinar community.

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