In August 2025, nine researchers participated in a four-day bioinformatics workshop held in Da Nang, Vietnam. Led by Assistant Professor Yaovi Mahuton Gildas Hounmanou from the University of Copenhagen, the training aimed to strengthen researchers’ capacity to analyse and interpret bacterial genomic data from aquaculture disease outbreaks, contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance efforts.
The workshop contributes to the project: Reduction of antimicrobial use in Pangasius and Tilapia aquaculture in Vietnam, implemented by the Research Institute for Aquaculture No1 (RIA1) and several other national partners.
Held in alignment with the project’s One Health approach, the training brought together researchers engaged in aquaculture production and disease prevention and control. Participants were introduced to practical skills and online tools essential for the analysis and interpretation of bacterial genomic data, with a focus on surveillance applications and determinants of AMR.
Using a mixture of theory and practical exercises, the workshop covered:
- Web-based and introductory coding-based analysis methods
- Data handling for next-generation sequencing
- AMR gene prediction
- Bacterial typing, annotation, and phylogenetic analyses
- Accessing public biological databases
By the end of the course, attendees were equipped with a working understanding of the bacterial genome analysis workflow and were prepared to apply these skills within their respective institutions.
Ms. Truong Thi My Hanh from the Research Institute for Aquaculture N01, who attended the training, reflected on the value of the workshop to her ongoing work, saying:
“This training in Da Nang has been a valuable experience for me. I have gained a clearer understanding and greater confidence in using bioinformatics tools such as NCBI, BLAST, ResFinder, PathogenWatch, FastQC, and SPAdes for bacterial genome analysis and AMR detection. With Assistant Professor Yaovi Mahuton Gildas Hounmanou’s guidance and the hands-on group exercises, I also developed practical skills in Linux, genome workflows, and NGS technologies, which I can now apply directly to my research and outbreak investigations within a One Health context.”
This capacity-building initiative supports ICARS’ broader mission to develop context-specific interventions addressing AMR in low- and middle-income countries. By enhancing genomic surveillance capabilities in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, the project aims to generate evidence that can inform prudent antimicrobial treatment practices and AMR mitigation strategies, including vaccination.
