News

The University Telemedicine Network for Latin America and the Caribbean (RUTE-ALC) will hold a new session of its 2026 webinar series on 8 April, addressing the relationship between bioinformatics and health informatics as key areas for the development of digital health in the region.

The session will be moderated by Heimar Marin (UNIFESP, Brazil) and will feature contributions from Dr Mahuina Campos (UNAM, Mexico), Michel Naslavsky (USP, Brazil) and Juan Carvallo (CEDIA, Ecuador), who will address both conceptual and technical aspects, as well as their linkage with the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), members of RedCLARA.

In the current context of digital transformation, characterised by an increasingly intensive use of data and scientific knowledge, both disciplines are acquiring a strategic role in research, training and health-related decision-making. However, their conceptual differentiation and operational integration remain areas that require greater clarity within academic and collaborative ecosystems.

The session will focus on analysing these fields from their foundations and methodologies, as well as identifying opportunities for their articulation. Health informatics will be addressed as the field oriented towards optimising the use of biomedical information to support clinical and organisational decision-making, integrating people, processes and information systems. In parallel, bioinformatics will be understood as the discipline dedicated to the computational analysis of complex biological data, enabling the generation of new knowledge from large volumes of information.

A central axis of the session will be the convergence between both areas, understood as an essential component for the development of interoperable, reproducible and learning-oriented environments, enabling progress towards more integrated digital health models in Latin America and the Caribbean. The virtual session will also include a space for questions, answers and discussion, aimed at fostering exchange among academic, scientific and professional communities in the region.

This initiative forms part of RUTE-ALC’s ongoing work to strengthen regional cooperation in digital health, promoting capacity development and the articulation between academic networks, universities, research centres and specialised organisations.

Prior registration on the RCC platform is required. Access is provided through the live sessions link. A single registration allows participation in all sessions. If you have not yet registered for the RUTE-ALC sessions, you may do so at the following link: https://rcc.rnp.br/RUTE-ALC/aovivo.

Session details
Date: Wednesday, 8 April
Time: 09:00 (Mexico and Costa Rica), 10:00 (Colombia and Ecuador), and 12:00 (Brazil and Chile)
Duration: 90 minutes

Access will be provided through the RCC platform of RNP, upon prior registration: https://rcc.rnp.br/RUTE-ALC/aovivo
(Registration on the RCC platform is required, and access is through the live sessions link. A single registration is sufficient for all sessions.)