4th dsi-africa consortium

The 4th DSI-Africa Conference was held in Mauritius, from November 16-22, 2024. This event brought together all projects funded by NIH working on public health data science. The consortium consisted of academics and researchers from all over Africa. During the seven-days, participants gave over 30 presentations and participated in a two-day technical session. In addition to over 200 participants attending in person, there were project members attending the conference online. With a diverse range of presentations, the conference highlighted the transformative potential of data science and its profound impact on public health data analytics practices. Discussions emphasized how data science tools and methodologies are revolutionizing traditional statistical methods, making hidden patterns from data more visible. Furthermore, the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as data science, is enhancing the quality of data analytics practices, fostering greater engagement, and improving public health interventions. 

From Addis Ababa University (AAU), two members attended: 1) Dr. Rahel Bekele, PI of the APHREA-DST project and 2) MSc student, Amanuel Belay, who was a recipient of the Early Career Research award. From the University of Nairobi (UoN), two members attended: 1) Dr. Patrick Weke, PI of the PI of the APHREA-DST project and 2) MSc student, Valine Okeyo, who was another recipient of the Early Career Research award.

On the first two days of the conference on Nov. 16-17, 2024, the Datathon on Breast Cancer including the training on using the Terra platform took place. The participants were the early career researchers and project PIs. The Breast Cancer Datathon provided participants with an exciting opportunity to apply data science techniques to a critical public health issue. Focused on improving breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, the datathon aimed to leverage data-driven solutions to enhance healthcare outcomes in this area. The event was designed not only to foster innovative solutions but also to provide hands-on training in using cutting-edge data science platforms. The first part of the datathon included a comprehensive training session on the Terra platform, a powerful cloud-based platform for data analysis and collaboration in life sciences. The training introduced participants to the platform’s key features, including data storage, integration with various computational tools, and workflows for processing genomic and clinical data.  Following the training, teams were tasked with using Terra to analyze a dataset related to breast cancer, which included genetic, clinical, and imaging data. The goal was to develop predictive models that could improve early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. Teams worked collaboratively to clean, preprocess, and analyze the data, using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and correlations that could aid in understanding breast cancer risk factors, identifying biomarkers, and enhancing patient outcomes. At the end of the competition, teams presented their findings, showcasing their models and insights.  

On the third day on Nov. 18, 2024, the four DSI-Africa standing working groups (Data Governance, Data Management, Training and Education Working, and Partnership and Outreach) met among their respective groups.  

The Conference was officially opened on Nov. 19, 2024. Over the three days (Nov. 19-21), presentations were made in themes organized as follows:

• Theme 1: From Data to Impact - Showcase of research findings and advancements in clinical medicine, public health, and health systems 
• Theme 2: Innovative Tools and Solutions: Addressing Challenges in DS-I Africa – sharing & repurposing tools & resources 
• ​Theme 3: Bridging Research and Practice: Translating Findings into Policy and Action for Improved Healthcare Outcomes in Africa.
• Theme 4: Collaboration for Change: Promoting Knowledge Sharing and Training to Increase Health Impact.

​​The early career researchers, who came from various countries, presented their work through posters and flash talks, which were distributed across the four days of the conference. 

​On the final day of the conference (November 22, 2024), separate project Principal Investigator (PI) meetings were held to facilitate in-depth discussions and collaboration among leaders of various research projects.  

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