Bioinformatics

What is bioinformatics?
Bioinformatics – also known as computational biology – is a cross-disciplinary field that marries computer science, mathematics, and biology. A milestone was reached in 2003 when the 13-year Human Genome Project, an international scientific research project, was completed. It is now possible to sequence an entire human genome in less than a week, and genomic medicine is quickly becoming part of standard medical care. In the past decade, the genomes of 123 eukaryotic species (rice, maze, mouse, chicken, etc.) and more than 958 bacterial species were sequenced. The flood of biological information generated by these projects spawned a new field of biology: bioinformatics.

Is bioinformatics right for you?
Bioinformatics is an excellent field of study if you enjoy investigative challenges and work well independently. Bioinformatics scientists work in government, academic, and commercial settings, in fields such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology, and medical informatics. Bioinformatics scientists conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods, analyze genomic data, and develop application specific software. Some other things bioinformatics scientists do:

• Design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic or other biological information
• Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies
• Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports

Career outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information research scientists earn a median pay of $131,490 per year.

Offered: On campus