The Department of Systems and Computational Biology (DoSCB), School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, in association with the Skill Development Center (SDC), DBT-Center for Microbial Informatics (DBT-CMI), organized a one-day workshop on “Statistics in Biology Using R” on 27 August 2026 at the University of Hyderabad. The workshop was organized to strengthen the statistical and computational skills of young researchers and to provide hands-on exposure to the use of R for analyzing biological data. The workshop was primarily aimed at PhD scholars, project staff, and final year postgraduate students working in the Schools of Life Sciences and Medical Sciences. The program received an overwhelming response, with enthusiastic participation from researchers across different areas of biological sciences.
The resource person, Dr. Santosh Rathod, Senior Scientist, ICAR–National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, is an experienced researcher in statistical analysis and R programming. The workshop combined conceptual discussions with practical demonstrations, enabling participants to understand not only the statistical principles underlying biological data analysis but also how to implement them in R.
The training covered important aspects of data handling, descriptive statistics, statistical testing, and data visualization using R and RStudio. Participants worked with biological datasets during the hands-on sessions and gained practical experience in performing statistical analyses and interpreting the results. Emphasis was placed on selecting appropriate statistical tests, understanding assumptions, and presenting biological data effectively through graphical visualization.
The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge of statistics and its practical application in biological research. With the increasing use of high-throughput experimental techniques and quantitative approaches in modern biology, proficiency in statistical programming and data analysis has become an essential skill for researchers.
Dr. Manjari Kiran, workshop coordinator, and Prof. H. A. Nagarajaram, Head, Department of Systems and Computational Biology, acknowledge the valuable contribution of Dr. Santosh Rathod and the support of the Skill Development Center and DBT-CMI, University of Hyderabad, in making the program successful. The enthusiastic participation and positive feedback from attendees underscored the relevance of such skill-oriented training programs in strengthening computational and quantitative capabilities among young researchers.
The program highlighted the importance of continued training in computational tools and quantitative methods to support data-driven biological research at the University of Hyderabad.