The Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), successfully organized a two-day Workshop on Transcriptomic Data Analysis for Beginners on 29–30 September 2025 at Bilik Helixs, Block C17, Faculty of Science, UTM.
The program was held in collaboration with the UVIS Committee of the Department of Biosciences as part of its strategic effort to enhance digital and computational competencies among researchers and postgraduate students in life sciences.
Chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alina Wagiran as Program Advisor and Ts. Dr. Syazwani Itri Amran as Program Director, the workshop aimed to equip participants with foundational skills in genomic data analysis using popular open-source platforms such as Galaxy and Cytoscape.
A total of 16 participants, including 12 academic staff members and several postgraduate students, took part in the training—reflecting strong interest from the Biosciences community in advancing bioinformatics expertise.
Bridging Genomics and Data Science
This workshop introduced participants to essential principles and workflows in transcriptomic data analysis, a crucial area of bioinformatics that enables researchers to study gene expression profiles and understand molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, stress responses, and drug interactions.
By integrating these computational tools into their research, participants can now analyze large-scale biological data more effectively, accelerating the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
The workshop aligns closely with UTM’s strategic mission to nurture digitally skilled scientists capable of integrating biology with computational science. Such initiatives also support the Faculty of Science’s agenda to build a sustainable research ecosystem that embraces emerging technologies, particularly in the era of genomics, systems biology, and personalized medicine.
Enhancing Research Capacity and Academic Impact
Beyond its immediate technical training, the workshop had a broader institutional impact by strengthening academic staff capability in genomic data interpretation—an area increasingly demanded in both academic and industrial biotechnology sectors.
Participants reported notable improvement in their understanding and confidence in handling transcriptomic datasets, demonstrating the effectiveness of hands-on and guided learning approaches adopted throughout the program.
This initiative also contributes to the capacity building of UTM’s Bioscience educators, enabling them to integrate bioinformatics modules into their teaching and research supervision. As a result, UTM continues to position itself as a leading institution for computational biology and genomic innovation in Malaysia.
Encouraged by the positive response, the Department of Biosciences plans to continue offering such workshops regularly, potentially expanding participation to external institutions and researchers through hybrid or online delivery modes.
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