Armenian Bioinformatics Institute

Հայերենը՝ ստորև

🧬We are excited to have launched a new study on inflammatory bowel disease in Armenia.

The study explores how changes in the gut lining, the gut microbiome and the immune system are connected. Our goal is to identify early biomarkers that could help predict a flare before symptoms become severe.

Inflammatory bowel disease often comes in waves, with quiet periods followed by sudden flares. Today, there is no reliable way to know when a flare is approaching.

🔬To understand what changes before a flare, rather than only during one, we will follow participants over time. They will provide blood and stool samples every ten weeks for two years.

The aim is to detect early warning signs through blood and stool samples rather than invasive tests.

To manage the collection, laboratory processing and results of hundreds of samples, we have also developed a dedicated web app. It follows each sample from collection through laboratory testing and back to the participant's results.

🤝The study is a collaborative effort:

🔹Clinicians recruit and follow the participants
🔹Blood tests are performed at Vardanants Medical Center
🔹Fecal calprotectin tests are performed at Prom-Test Laboratories
🔹DNA isolation and sequencing are performed at the Institute of Molecular Biology
🔹Data management is performed at the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute

Special thanks to "Vardanants" Medical Center and Masis Vardanyan for conducting the laboratory blood tests throughout the study and for supporting the program.

Most importantly, we thank the patients taking part. By participating, they support research into better ways of monitoring inflammatory bowel disease while receiving regular test results throughout the study.

The project receives funding from a Lab Consolidator Grant from the Higher Education and Science Committee.

📩To participate in the study, learn more about the web app or support the project, contact:
[email protected]

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🧬Ուրախությամբ տեղեկացնում ենք, որ ՀՀ ԳԱԱ Institute of Molecular Biology /Մոլեկուլային կենսաբանության ինստիտուտ-ի հետ համագործակցությամբ մեկնարկել ենք աղիների բորբոքային հիվանդության վերաբերյալ նոր հետազոտություն:

Մենք ուսումնասիրում ենք, թե ինչպես են փոխկապակցված աղիների լորձաթաղանթի, աղիքային միկրոբիոմի և իմունային համակարգի փոփոխությունները:

Մեր նպատակն է հայտնաբերել վաղ բիոմարկերներ, որոնք կօգնեն կանխատեսել հիվանդության սրացումը՝ նախքան ախտանիշների հայտնվելը:

🔬Ժամանակային փոփոխությունները նկատելու համար մեր հետազոտությունը երկարաժամկետ է՝ երկու տարվա ընթացքում յուրաքանչյուր տասը շաբաթը մեկ յուրաքանչյուր մասնակից հանձնելու է արյան և կղանքի նմուշներ:

Նպատակն է վաղ ահազանգող նշանները հայտնաբերել արյան և կղանքի հետազոտությունների միջոցով՝ խուսափելով ինվազիվ (միջամտական) հետազոտություններից:

Հարյուրավոր նմուշների հավաքագրումը, լաբորատոր մշակումը և արդյունքների կառավարումն ապահովելու համար մենք մշակել ենք նաև հատուկ վեբ հավելված: Այն հետևում է յուրաքանչյուր նմուշի ճանապարհին՝ հավաքագրումից մինչև լաբորատոր հետազոտություն և արդյունքների փոխանցում մասնակցին:

🤝Հետազոտությունն իրականացվում է համագործակցային ջանքերով․

🔹Բժիշկ-կլինիցիստները ներգրավում և հետևում են մասնակիցներին
🔹Արյան հետազոտություններն իրականացվում են «Վարդանանց» Նորարակական Բժշկության կենտրոնում
🔹Կղանքում կալպրոտեկտինի հետազոտություններն իրականացվում են «Պրոմ-Տեստ» լաբորատորիայում
🔹Նմուշներից ԴՆԹ անջատումն ու սեքվենավորումն իրականացնում ենք Մոլեկուլային կենսաբանության ինստիտուտում
🔹Տվյալների հավաքագրումը, մշակումն ու պահպանումը՝ Հայաստանի կենսաինֆորմատիկայի ինստիտուտում

Հատուկ շնորհակալություն ենք հայտնում «Վարդանանց» ՆԲԿ-ին և Մասիս Վարդանյանին՝ հետազոտության ողջ ընթացքում արյան լաբորատոր հետազոտությունների անցկացման և և ծրագրին աջակցելու համար:

Ամենակարևորը՝ շնորհակալություն ենք հայտնում պացիենտներին: Մասնակցելով հետազոտությանը՝ նրանք նպաստում են աղիների բորբոքային հիվանդության վերահսկման արդյունավետ եղանակների մշակմանը՝ միևնույն ժամանակ ծրագրի ողջ ընթացքում ստանալով լաբորատոր հետազոտությունների կանոնավոր արդյունքներ:

Ծրագիրը ֆինանսավորվում է Բարձրագույն կրթության և գիտության կոմիտեի «Լաբորատորիայի ամրապնդման դրամաշնորհ» ծրագրի շրջանակներում:

📩Հետազոտությանը մասնակցելու, վեբ հավելվածի մասին ավելին իմանալու կամ ծրագրին աջակցելու համար կարող եք կապ հաստատել՝
[email protected]

🌍 ABI at ECCB 2026!

From 31 August to 4 September 2026, members of the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute team participated in ECCB 2026 – the European Conference on Computational Biology, presenting their research and connecting with the international bioinformatics community.

Our team was represented by Lilit Nersisyan , Tatevik Jalatyan, Davit Tarverdyan, Anahit Yeghiazaryan, Maria Nikoghosyan, and Nate Zadirako, with poster presentations covering topics ranging from population genomics and cancer transcriptomics to telomere profiling.

🍇 Maria Nikoghosyan presented “Population Structure of Wild and Cultivated Grapevines in Armenia”, based on the team’s published research. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12870-026-08287-2]

🧬 Nate Zadirako presented “Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies Immunotherapy-Responsive Phenotypes in Microsatellite-Stable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer”, also based on published research. [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-026-03861-2]

🔬 Davit Tarverdyan, Anahit Yeghiazaryan, and Tatevik Jalatyan presented “Computel 2.0: A Platform for Comprehensive Telomere Profiling & TRV Phenotyping: Applications in Bulk, cfDNA & Single-Cell Sequencing.”

The conference also brought a lovely reunion with ABI alumna Arpine Grigoryan, who is a co-author of the work presented by Nate. ❤️

We are grateful for the support that helped make our team’s participation possible. Davit Tarverdyan’s participation was supported by the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation’s Armenian Fellowships program, while Anahit Yeghiazaryan received support through the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Short Term Conference and Travel Scholarships programme.

📢 New Publication Alert 🐝

A honeybee carries only a handful of gut bacteria. We looked at what pesticides do to them. 🦠🔬

🌍 Much the same few species turn up in bees from Armenia, Denmark, or New Zealand. They digest pollen the bee cannot break down alone and help keep infection at bay. 🌼

📊 We pooled data from over 500 bees and asked a different question: not which single species changes under pesticide exposure, but which groups of bacteria shift together. That view catches patterns a species-by-species analysis walks straight past.

⚠️ Insecticides came with a rise in bacteria that can turn harmful. The weedkiller glyphosate was stranger still: it pushed out one of the core residents and made room for bacteria that appear able to break the weedkiller down. Sometimes the gut may be adapting, not just taking damage. 🧬

📄 The study, published in Scientific Reports, combined eight public datasets with new Armenian data generated with Inga Bazukyan's lab at Yerevan State University. 🇦🇲

💻 The network method is open source, as the R package tsantsR: https://github.com/abi-am/tsantsR

🔗 Read the open-access paper: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62172-4

🎉 Congratulations to Nelli Vardazaryan , Lusine Adunts , and the whole team! 👏🐝

⭐ OMICSS-26 Genome Bioinformatics Summer School Comes to an End ⭐

After four intensive weeks of learning, collaboration, research, and new experiences, the OMICSS-26 Genome Bioinformatics Summer School has officially come to an end! 🧬✨

From July 20 to August 14, participants worked their way through bioinformatics, genomics, data analysis, and modern molecular biology - combining lectures and practical sessions with hands-on work on real bioinformatics research projects.

This year, OMICSS-26 brought together participants from Armenia and around the world, including students who traveled to Armenia specifically to take part in the program. This international mix of backgrounds and perspectives made the experience even richer, creating new connections and opportunities for exchange and collaboration. 🌍

Along the way, students had the opportunity to strengthen both their computational and biological skills, from working with biological data and sequencing technologies to gaining practical wet-lab experience with DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis.

The final stage of OMICSS-26 took us outside Yerevan for our BootCamp in Dilijan, where the teams dedicated their last days to completing their projects. The program culminated with final project presentations, the closing of OMICSS-26, and, of course, a well-deserved celebration. 🎉🌲

We are incredibly grateful to all our lecturers, mentors, guest speakers, partners, and supporters who contributed their knowledge, time, and energy to making this year’s summer school possible.

And most importantly, a huge thank you to our OMICSS-26 participants for their curiosity, hard work, questions, ideas, and enthusiasm throughout these four weeks. ❤️

OMICSS has always been about more than learning bioinformatics - it is about bringing people together, creating connections, and growing a community around bioinformatics and life-science research.

Another OMICSS journey may be coming to an end, but we hope the collaborations, friendships, and ideas that started here will continue far beyond the summer school. 🚀

The 2026 edition is organized in partnership with ARCS. ai and co-funded by FAR/ANSEF's Yerevan Terzian Program and the Institute of Molecular Biology.

🧬 Inside One Cell Lies a Universe of Data

How can we decode the enormous amount of information hidden inside individual cells? How are bioinformatics and artificial intelligence transforming the way we understand life, disease, and medicine?

Join us for a Ground Zero Breakfast Series event where leading experts will discuss how bioinformatics, AI, and computational biology are shaping the future of science and medicine.

🌟 Speakers:
🔹 Rolf Apweiler - Founder of UniProt, Director Emeritus of EMBL-EBI.
🔹 Hans Binder - Computational biologist working at the intersection of AI, single-cell genomics, and systems biology, and the leader of ABI’s Binder Lab.
🔹 Lilit Nersisyan - Founding Director of ABI, leader of ABI’s Nersisyan Lab.

The discussion will be moderated by Karén Gyulbudaghyan, founder of Ground Zero Venture Café.

Whether you are a scientist, physician, entrepreneur, investor, student, or simply curious about the future of biology and technology - you are welcome to join. No scientific background is required!

📅 August 11, 2026 | 8:30 AM

📍 Ground Zero Venture Café, 1 Saryan Street, Yerevan

Register here: https://luma.com/bedqjain

We are pleased to announce that the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute has been awarded the three-year GaBioMed research project, in partnership with Leipzig University and the Institute of Molecular Biology.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, the project will develop bioinformatics methods for single-cell and spatial omics research and apply them to studies of cancer progression, wound healing, and pathological skin processes.🔬

GaBioMed will also support hands-on training for Armenian scientists and strengthen Armenia’s capacity in genome bioinformatics and precision medicine. 🧬

🧬 Public Guest Lecture at OMICSS-26: The History of Bioinformatics

We are delighted to announce that Rolf Apweiler, one of the leading figures in European bioinformatics, will give a public guest lecture during the OMICSS-26 Genome Bioinformatics Summer School.

Rolf Apweiler is currently an Emeritus Visitor at EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI). He served as Joint Director of EMBL-EBI from 2015 to 2024 and has played an important role in the institute’s development since its early years.

Throughout his career, he has made major contributions to protein bioinformatics, including the development of methods for the automatic annotation of proteins and the advancement of internationally important resources such as UniProt and InterPro. He has also contributed to the development of standards and open-data infrastructure for proteomics and life-science research.
During the lecture, Rolf Apweiler will take us through the history of bioinformatics from its early development to its transformation into an essential field supporting modern biological and biomedical research.

The lecture will be followed by a 30-minute networking session, offering participants a valuable opportunity to meet Rolf Apweiler, speak with him in person, and connect with others interested in bioinformatics and life sciences.

📅 Date: August 10, 2026
🕟 Time: 5 pm
📍 Location: ABI Research and Training Facility
Ezras Hasratyan Street 7, Yerevan

Places are limited, and advance registration is required. Please register using the link below to secure your place.

🔗 Registration: https://forms.gle/tdvbo27WNExzhWit8

We look forward to welcoming you!

🌟 OMICSS-26 Genome Bioinformatics Summer School Has Officially Kicked Off! 🌟

🚀 Today, we were excited to welcome participants from Armenia and abroad to OMICSS-26, the fifth edition of our Genome Bioinformatics Summer School, taking place from July 20 to August 14, 2026.

🧬 Over the next four weeks, participants will:
🔹 Explore modern molecular technologies and bioinformatics algorithms
🔹 Learn to work with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data
🔹 Take part in lectures and hands-on practical sessions
🔹 Work in teams on real-world genome bioinformatics projects

💡 Throughout the program, participants will be guided and mentored by the ABI team, including researchers and former OMICSS participants, who will support them at every stage of their learning and project work.

We look forward to seeing the knowledge, collaborations, and research outcomes that will emerge during OMICSS-26!
We sincerely thank our lecturers, guest lecturers, mentors, partners, and supporters for helping make this year’s summer school possible.

The 2026 edition is organized in partnership with .ai and co-funded by FAR/ANSEF’s Yervant Terzian Program and the Institute of Molecular Biology.

📸 Stay tuned for updates and highlights from OMICSS-26!
🔗 https://www.abi.am/training/omicss-26

📢 New Publication!

We're happy to share a new paper from ABI's Binder Lab, published in Oncogene:

Konecny T, Zadirako N, Grigoryan A, Tamazyan M, Mnatsakanyan S, Stepanyan L, Loeffler-Wirth H, Bourdelais S, Mednick G, Delepine C., Chand D, Binder H. "Transcriptomic profiling identifies immunotherapy-responsive phenotypes in microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer." Oncogene, 2026.

🧬 MSS metastatic colorectal cancer rarely responds to immunotherapy, making it one of the most challenging cancers to treat. Using self-organizing map machine learning, our team analyzed tumor biopsies from patients treated with botensilimab and balstilimab (Agenus) and identified four molecular tumor types, each with a distinct immune landscape. Immune-enriched and mesenchymal-like tumors showed better responses and longer survival. The study also points to an interferon and APOBEC3 signal, invisible to standard mutation-burden tests, as a key driver of immune recognition.

👩‍🔬 The work was carried out in collaboration with Agenus as part of a phase I clinical trial. Congratulations to the whole team! 🎉

📖 Read the full open-access article: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-026-03861-2

⏳ Only 1 day left to apply for OMICSS-26!

Late Bird applications for the OMICSS-26 Genome Bioinformatics Summer School close tomorrow, June 07.

If you are interested in starting your journey in bioinformatics, this is your reminder to submit your application before the deadline.

🧬 OMICSS-26 is a beginner-friendly summer school offering hands-on training in genome bioinformatics, molecular technologies, data analysis, NGS, and real-world bioinformatics projects.

📍 Location: Armenian Bioinformatics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
📅 Dates: July 20 – August 14, 2026
❗ Late Bird Deadline: June 07

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://www.abi.am/training/omicss-26

The 2026 edition is organized in partnership with ARCS.ai and co-funded by FAR/ANSEF's Yerevan Terzian Program and the Institute of Molecular Biology.