FAIR data practices and cross-border collaboration are key to closing Europe’s bioinformatics skills gap, says Prof. Krzysztof Poterlowicz, Professor of Bioinformatics and Biomedical Data Sciences and HPC Academic Lead at the University of Bradford. ICT&Health Global interviewed him about how ELIXIR-UK builds national capacity, fosters sustainable roles, and prepares life scientists for a data-driven future.
How is ELIXIR-UK helping to close the skills gap in bioinformatics and data stewardship across Europe, and where do you see the most urgent needs?
“At ELIXIR-UK, we’ve focused on developing scalable, national programs that empower institutions to support their researchers. A good example is the Data Stewardship Fellowship, which selected 24 individuals across 17 UK organizations to champion FAIR data practices locally. These Fellows now serve as points of contact for data management and stewardship.”
“We also foster communities of practice around pedagogy and training, such as the UK Training Club, which brings the learning and output of ELIXIR to the national level. This model could work well in Poland: instead of centralizing everything, expertise is embedded directly where it’s needed most—universities, hospitals, and labs.”
“Another major initiative is BioFAIR, a UK-wide digital research infrastructure designed to bridge gaps between researchers, digital research professionals, and national initiatives. A central part of BioFAIR is upskilling the UK life sciences community in best practices, resources, and tools endorsed by ELIXIR-UK.”
“The most urgent need isn’t simply more training, but actionable training tied to real tools and services. Institutions also need support to build sustainable roles with clear career paths so that expertise doesn’t disappear when short-term projects end. Being part of ELIXIR gives us the leverage to advocate for these changes nationally.”
In your experience, what role does training have in making large-scale infrastructures like ELIXIR usable by researchers from different disciplines and countries?
“Training is what turns infrastructure into impact. Without it, many platforms are unused or misunderstood. That’s why ELIXIR-UK contributes to initiatives like the Train-the-Trainer program, which I co-lead across Europe. It helps countries develop local instructors who can adapt materials to their language, domain, and research culture.”
“We also support training through platforms like the Galaxy Training Network (GTN). Galaxy provides a user-friendly interface for data-intensive biomedical research and is backed by a strong global training community that produces open materials and courses in multiple languages and disciplines.”
“These approaches could be as effective in Poland as they have been in the UK. A relatively small investment in national training capacity can unlock access to shared ELIXIR tools, without the need to reinvent them from scratch.”
The future of life science is increasingly dependent on federated, high-performance data processing. How do you approach integrating high-performance computing into scientific training so that researchers are not just data consumers but effective data scientists?
“ELIXIR-UK itself doesn’t directly run continuous training programs. Instead, we support the development of training models, communities of practice, and pedagogical best practices - often through time-limited projects. Practical, domain-specific training is delivered by our member institutions and endorsed services.”
“Many UK institutions now provide dedicated support for high-performance and data-intensive research. But researchers still need a strong foundation in data management and analysis to avoid common pitfalls—from inefficient workflows to irreproducible results. Significant resources are often lost when data is poorly managed. Our training efforts focus on helping researchers build the skills to manage and analyse data responsibly from the outset.”
“We also promote approaches such as workflow automation, containerization, and user-friendly platforms like Galaxy or WorkflowHub. These enable researchers to benefit from HPC and cloud environments without needing deep technical expertise, while still understanding why and how to use these tools effectively.”
With so many training initiatives across Europe, what value does a coordinated platform like TeSS provide, and how does it support both national efforts and international collaboration?
“TeSS helps avoid duplication and increases visibility, especially for smaller countries or newer ELIXIR Nodes. By indexing training events and materials, national providers can reach a European audience - both trainees and trainers who may reuse and recognize their work."
"At ELIXIR-UK, we’ve contributed extensively to TeSS and benefited from training created elsewhere. Our member organization, the University of Manchester, co-leads the platform and is expanding its reach with mTeSS-X, offering TeSS platforms for other disciplines (e.g., physics) and national training portals (e.g., DReSA in Australasia, Taxila in the Netherlands).”
“TeSS is openly accessible, but its added value comes from coordination, trust, and community. For member countries, the benefits of joining ELIXIR go beyond accessing TeSS—it’s about influence, alignment, and sustainability. ELIXIR-UK helps shape how TeSS integrates with other services, how metadata is standardized, and how the platform evolves in response to community needs.”
“Being part of ELIXIR also ensures national training programs are visible and connected. Content doesn’t just sit on a website - it becomes part of a coordinated, FAIR-aligned effort to make training findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.”
As the landscape of European science evolves, especially with the push toward interoperable health and genomic data, what new skills and competencies should the next generation of life scientists be developing?
“Life scientists today must go far beyond traditional wet-lab skills. They’re increasingly expected to apply FAIR and CARE principles, manage sensitive health and genomic data responsibly, and work with emerging interoperability standards such as those from the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH).”
“I co-lead the ELIXIR Human Copy Number Variation (hCNV) Community, which is closely aligned with GA4GH and focuses on federated access to human genomic data. We also support the UK Human Data Community, where members share challenges and practices around secure, ethical data sharing. These networks are key to preparing scientists for a future where data doesn’t sit in one place and where trust, transparency, and governance are as important as technical expertise.”
“But it’s not only about standards - it’s about people. Cross-disciplinary communication is now essential. Scientists must work confidently with data stewards, software engineers, clinicians, and ethics experts. Training helps bridge these gaps and build a shared language.”
“This is where ELIXIR excels: as a member, you’re not just accessing training - you’re contributing to shaping a cross-border skills framework. Countries like Poland could benefit, just as the UK does, by plugging into this network and gaining immediate access to tools, case studies, and communities already addressing these challenges.”
