We are very happy to share the journey of two of our team members from CHRF, Jaasia Momtahena Hafsa and Md. Akibul Hassan Sazal, who are currently participating in the Australia Awards Fellowship at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity under the University of Melbourne, alongside 9 other fellows from 5 other countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

In this 5-week program, 'Strengthening Genomics-Informed Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Control of Infectious Diseases across the Asia-Pacific,' Jaasia and Akibul are gaining invaluable hands-on training in pathogen genomics, bioinformatics, and genomic epidemiology. They are diving deep into advanced techniques like Illumina and ONT sequencing, bioinformatics for WGS data, and learning how genomic epidemiology is shaping the future of outbreak surveillance.

This fellowship is providing them with a unique opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to support CHRF’s ongoing research on infectious diseases, contribute to shaping training programs for local scientists, and further strengthen our public health initiatives. Through global collaboration and knowledge exchange, CHRF continues to empower Bangladeshi scientists in the fight against infectious diseases, building a healthier future for all!