Training needs and resources within precision medicine
Earlier this fall, SciLifeLab’s capability for Precision Medicine and Training Hub conducted a survey to identify needs for training within the precision medicine field. The survey results highlighted several topics of high-demand, and efforts are now underway to identify, make accessible and develop training material within these areas.
The survey was distributed both internally at SciLifeLab and to external stakeholders in the precision medicine field. A total of 125 respondents from universities across the country, healthcare, and industry participated, representing a wide range of professional roles, including all academic levels, staff scientists, and healthcare professionals.
“The large number of responses shows a significant interest in additional training within precision medicine. We now aim to establish resources to facilitate access to training, jointly with the highly skilled technology experts and researchers within our community”, says Eva Berglund, Scientific Coordinator for Precision Medicine at SciLifeLab.
How can you contribute to establishing training resources within precision medicine?
- Add information about relevant courses within the highlighted areas to this Google doc
- Inform us if you have expertise within any of the highlighted areas and are interested in being part of establishing a new course, or if you have suggestions about other potential lecturers.
- Record lectures and webinars that you organize within the highlighted areas so that we can help you to make them available to a larger audience. See more information and guidelines in the Training Portal, and contact us with any questions.
The survey covered topics ranging from specific technologies available at the SciLifeLab infrastructure, data analysis and management, precision medicine research and implementation, to ethical and legal considerations. The most requested areas for training are listed below. Responders also mentioned the need to connect to international cohorts and to ensure that scientists at university hospitals have access to training.
While lack of time was the most significant barrier to enhancing competence, other factors included unawareness of relevant training resources and lack of multiprofessional networks and knowledge about healthcare needs. For several highlighted areas, various training opportunities are already available at SciLifeLab or through other organizations, see some examples below. For other areas, new training material can be developed, for example through recording webinars and make them accessible to a larger audience.
“With the mapping of topics within the Precision Medicine area, we aim to find what is already accessible for learners to make use of. Our intention from a SciLifeLab Training perspective is to build a comprehensive resource where trainings mirroring the SciLifeLab areas of discipline are showcased”, says Jessica Lindvall, Head of Training at SciLifeLab, and she continues, “the ultimate aim is to make it easy for anyone wanting to be upskilled to filter by specific thematic areas, such as precision medicine”.
Feel free to contact Eva Berglund eva.berglund@scilifelab.uu.se if you have any questions or want to contribute to establishing training resources within precision medicine.
Areas with high demand for additional training
- Emerging PM applications in genomics, proteomics and spatial omics
- Data analysis in genomics
- Multimodal PM study design and data analysis
- Design and implementation of precision medicine clinical trials
- Challenges and opportunities in the transition from research to clinical practice
- Precision medicine applications – case studies and success stories
- Biomarker discovery and validation
- Bioinformatic tools and resources
- Artificial intelligence for PM
- Swedish cohorts and data sets
- Biobanking and access to clinical material
- Standardization, accreditation and validation of laboratory assays and data analysis pipelines
- Legal issues on data sharing of research data and secondary use of health data
- Ethical applications and patient consents in relation to data sharing
Examples of training opportunities within highlighted areas
- The SciLifeLab Bioinformatics platform organizes training in e.g. data analysis, bioinformatic tools and resources, including multiomics. See upcoming courses in the SciLifeLab Training Portal.
- Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) organizes and records webinars about precision medicine applications (in Swedish).
- Biobank Sweden organizes courses on biobanking and access to clinical samples.
- The SciLifeLab Precision Medicine Portal lists many national and international cohorts and Swedish quality registries.
- The SciLifeLab research data management guidelines includes information on data sharing.
- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
- Swedish MOOC on precision medicine developed by Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University (in Swedish)
- Nordic MOOC on precision medicine developed by University of Copenhagen and University of Iceland
- Several international networks provide training material
- The European infrastructure for translational medicine(EATRIS), where SciLifeLab is a member, offers a range of self-paced online courses, live courses, workshops and webinars.
- The Genomics Education Programme delivers education and training focusing on genomics in healthcare
