Overview
Kidney disease is a major and growing health challenge across Africa, yet African populations remain vastly underrepresented in genetic studies of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Harnessing Africa’s unparalleled genomic diversity to understand kidney disease risk and improve patient outcomes requires both cutting-edge science and a new generation of African leaders in kidney genomics.
Following the success of our inaugural KidneyGenAfrica short course in January 2026, we are hosting another five day intensive workshop in Malawi. This workshop will bring together a diverse group of postgraduate and early-career researchers from across the continent to strengthen knowledge, practical skills, and collaborative networks in the genetic epidemiology of kidney disease. Participants will learn the foundations of bioinformatics, gain hands-on experience running GWAS and using PLINK, and explore kidney disease phenotypes, and evaluate shared genetic architecture between kidney function and related complex traits.
Through expert-led seminars, interactive discussions, and practical data analysis sessions, the course will provide a platform to examine ethical and community considerations in African genomics, share research across diverse contexts, and develop project proposals. Participants will leave with new technical skills, strengthened professional networks, and a deeper understanding of how to drive equitable kidney genomics research across Africa.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the participants will be able to:
- Describe key kidney disease phenotypes, how they are clinically measured, and the genetic factors that contribute to disease risk across diverse African populations.
- Perform a GWAS pipeline and critically interpret findings in the context of African genomic diversity.
- Evaluate the shared genetic architecture of complex traits using genetic correlation and colocalisation approaches.
- Select appropriate methods, tools, and datasets to develop a feasible strategy for addressing a given research question.
Applications for KidneyGenAfrica Malawi Workshop now open
Deadline to apply: 23:59 GMT on 14 August 2026
Eligibility
Postgraduate and early career researchers working in Africa who are involved in bioinformatic data analysis, genetics, epidemiology or clinical assessment of chronic kidney disease and related traits, including geneticists and bioinformaticians transitioning from pathogen genomics to human genomics, are encouraged to apply.
Individuals who participated in the KidneyGenAfrica Workshop in January 2026 are not eligible to apply.
Key Details
Workshop dates: 24th to 29th January 2027
Co-hosted by: Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Venue: Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Lilongwe Campus, Malawi
Deadline to apply: 23:59 GMT on 14 August 2026
Funding: Travel, accommodation, and subsistence fully covered
If you have questions, please email training@kidneygenafrica.org.
Application requirements
Please complete the online application linked below and submit a letter of recommendation to training@kidneygenafrica.org.
