Department of Ophthalmology Holds a seminar on Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

The Department of ophthalmology hosted the First interdisciplinary Retinoblastoma genetics workshop on 14th to 15th May 2024. The training which comprised of molecular biology and bioinformatics was held as part of a wider Research project “Building capacity in molecular cancer research in Kenya through analysis of retinoblastoma heterogeneity” that has been funded by the Velux Stiftung Foundation.

This grant is a collaboration between the University of Nairobi, Department of Ophthalmology and University of Toronto, SickKids Centre for Global Child Health through the Principal investigator Dr. Lucy Njambi and Co- PI Dr. Helen Dimaras from the respective institutions.

The participants of the workshop were drawn from the departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology, Centre for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, KAVI- ICR and stakeholders for the implementation and sustainability component of the project of capacity building in biomedical cancer research at the Faculty of Health sciences.

Support for the RB genetics workshop 

1. Coecsa: stakeholder and collaborator in training and sustainability 

2. Illumina and F&S scientific: supply of consumables and equipment; technical support and training in NGS 

3. SickKids Centre for global child health : collaboration through Dr. Helen Dimaras as co- PI, in training and skills transfer in molecular Cancer research.