Programming in Python: master your first project
Programming in Python: master your first project
14 January 2026, 14h00-17h00
21 January 2026, 14h00-17h00
28 January 2026, 14h00-17h00
04 February 2026, 14h00-17h00
General context
Do you want to learn programming skills that will boost your research? In this course, we introduce you to the Python programming language, starting from the very basics. You will explore core programming concepts through a mix of live online sessions, guided practical afternoons, and self-paced exercises. We emphasize hands-on learning in a supportive environment where you can ask plenty of questions. By the end of the course, you will be able to read, modify, and write Python programs and feel confident continuing to continue with more advanced programming topics.
Understand core programming concepts including functions and values
Analyze programs written by peers to understand their structure and logic
Modify existing programs to improve functionality or adapt them to new tasks
Develop new programs to solve practical problems
Apply techniques to detect errors and fix problems in code
This course combines self-paced learning with interactive sessions to support your progress:
- You will receive a welcome email before the course opens. This email will contain all of the information you need to get started
- During the kick-off meeting, you will meet the trainers and your fellow students. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and set out your goals and expectations.
The trainers will explain:
- The expectations of you as students: participation in weekly Q&A, what you should complete before each weekly Q&A session, project participation, etc.
- How to use the Dodona and Hedy learning websites
This course is designed for participants with no prior programming experience.
Trainers
Jolan Heyse
Jolan Heyse is a trainer at VIB specializing in artificial intelligence and data science for life sciences. He holds a master's degree and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Ghent University, where his research focused on applying AI to EEG-based epilepsy diagnosis. Before joining VIB, Jolan worked as a data scientist at AZ Delta, developing AI applications for healthcare. His expertise includes machine learning, biomedical signal processing, Large Language Models (LLMs), and translating complex algorithms into practical tools for researchers. At VIB, he designs and delivers training programs to help scientists with data-driven methods.
Bruna Piereck
Bruna Piereck is a bioinformatics trainer at VIB and ELIXIR-BE training coordinator deputy. She obtained a Master and PhD degree in Molecular Genetics, with a focus on Bioinformatics from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, in 2019. During her PhD, she had the chance to collaborate with the university of Luxembourg and the McGill university in Quebec Canada for a short time. Ever since she has been involved with teaching and research and Since March 2022, she joined VIB with the mission of teaching and assist other trainers in a variety of topics.
James Collier
I am a software engineer with over 10 years of professional experience on systems ranging from tiny embedded medical microchips, through to web applications and high-performance supercomputers. I grew up in a small town in rural Australia then completed a PhD at Monash University applying information compression to the protein structural alignment problem. Now I live in the Netherlands with my lovely wife and three children. Currently, I work for VIB Technologies building web applications. You can find out more about me here: https://james.thecolliers.xyz/