U2RTW012131
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
Computational Omics and Biomedical Informatics Program (COBIP) - Project Summary
Despite the significant human health and disease burden in Africa, no biomedical data science graduate degree programs in computational omics, clinical informatics, and translational research are offered on the continent. To foster research training that will cultivate graduates able to respond with agility to future biomedical data science needs and develop innovative solutions to address African health challenges, formal interdisciplinary training in biomedical data science is needed. Such training opportunities should include:
(I) Biomedical data science applied to data from multi-omics and other technologies, such as biomedical imaging, coupled with the ethical, legal, and social implications of these advances;
(II) Fundamental and advanced concepts in machine intelligence and computational paradigms for developing novel approaches for mining large-scale biomedical data; and
(III) Awareness, amongst graduates, of career opportunities within biomedical data science along with how the soft and hard skills gained in the training program could be transferred into a range of biotechnology/biomedical industries and research/professional careers.
Motivated by these needs and leveraging the expertise in clinical and translational research as well as biomedical informatics at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), we propose to develop the "Computational Omics and Biomedical Informatics Program" (COBIP) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The program will introduce graduate degree programs to train African biomedical data scientists and faculty in rigorous fundamental data science, computational omics, clinical informatics, and imaging data science. COBIP will lead to the development of solutions that address the African disease burden and are relevant to global health.
Specifically, we aim to:
1) Develop an interdisciplinary data science training program focused on the health and healthcare needs and priorities of Africa;
2) Train faculty with relevant disciplinary backgrounds, from collaborating African institutions, in biomedical data science to support the development of the field across the continent; and
3) Establish COBIP as an international center of excellence in computational omics and biomedical informatics, distributed across African institutions as a collaborative network of faculty, researchers, and students focused on the African health priorities.
COBIP will attract cohorts of trainees from diverse backgrounds including mathematics, statistics, informatics, computer sciences, engineering, and biomedical sciences. COBIP will provide innovative educational infrastructure and research opportunities as well as links between clinicians, researchers, and biomedical industries through placements and internships. COBIP, through its graduates, will have decisive impacts on African biomedical data science research and stimulate diagnostics, therapeutic selection, and drug development to support improved human health and healthcare in Africa and globally.
Despite the significant human health and disease burden in Africa, no biomedical data science graduate degree programs in computational omics, clinical informatics, and translational research are offered on the continent. To foster research training that will cultivate graduates able to respond with agility to future biomedical data science needs and develop innovative solutions to address African health challenges, formal interdisciplinary training in biomedical data science is needed. Such training opportunities should include:
(I) Biomedical data science applied to data from multi-omics and other technologies, such as biomedical imaging, coupled with the ethical, legal, and social implications of these advances;
(II) Fundamental and advanced concepts in machine intelligence and computational paradigms for developing novel approaches for mining large-scale biomedical data; and
(III) Awareness, amongst graduates, of career opportunities within biomedical data science along with how the soft and hard skills gained in the training program could be transferred into a range of biotechnology/biomedical industries and research/professional careers.
Motivated by these needs and leveraging the expertise in clinical and translational research as well as biomedical informatics at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), we propose to develop the "Computational Omics and Biomedical Informatics Program" (COBIP) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The program will introduce graduate degree programs to train African biomedical data scientists and faculty in rigorous fundamental data science, computational omics, clinical informatics, and imaging data science. COBIP will lead to the development of solutions that address the African disease burden and are relevant to global health.
Specifically, we aim to:
1) Develop an interdisciplinary data science training program focused on the health and healthcare needs and priorities of Africa;
2) Train faculty with relevant disciplinary backgrounds, from collaborating African institutions, in biomedical data science to support the development of the field across the continent; and
3) Establish COBIP as an international center of excellence in computational omics and biomedical informatics, distributed across African institutions as a collaborative network of faculty, researchers, and students focused on the African health priorities.
COBIP will attract cohorts of trainees from diverse backgrounds including mathematics, statistics, informatics, computer sciences, engineering, and biomedical sciences. COBIP will provide innovative educational infrastructure and research opportunities as well as links between clinicians, researchers, and biomedical industries through placements and internships. COBIP, through its graduates, will have decisive impacts on African biomedical data science research and stimulate diagnostics, therapeutic selection, and drug development to support improved human health and healthcare in Africa and globally.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER (FIC) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.S. SCIENTISTS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS ABROAD. FIC SUPPORTS BASIC BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS RELATED RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNDING MECHANISMS TO MEET PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVES.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Place of Performance
South Africa
Geographic Scope
Foreign
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 607% from $246,156 to $1,739,224.
University Of Cape Town was awarded
Computational Omics and Biomedical Informatics Program (COBIP)
Cooperative Agreement U2RTW012131
worth $1,739,224
from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering in September 2021 with work to be completed primarily in South Africa.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 10 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health.
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Research Training Program (U2R Clinical Trial Optional).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/20/25
Period of Performance
9/22/21
Start Date
7/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$1.7M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$1.7M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to U2RTW012131
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
U2RTW012131
SAI Number
U2RTW012131-870344432
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75N800 NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Awardee UEI
NN5NML6VUCF9
Awardee CAGE
SBH72
Performance District
Not Applicable
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0891) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $494,726 | 71% |
| National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0898) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $200,000 | 29% |
Modified: 8/20/25