Recent years have seen an explosive growth in biological data. Large sequencing projects are producing increasing quantities of nucleotide sequences. The contents of nucleotide databases are doubling in size approximately every 14 months. The latest release of GenBank (V.102) exceeded one billion base pairs. Not only the size of sequence data is rapidly increasing, but also the number of characterized genes from many organisms and protein structures doubles about every two years. To cope with this great quantity of data, a new scientific discipline has emerged: bioinformatics, biocomputing or computational biology.
Bioinformatics combines the tools and techniques of mathematics, computer science and biology in order to understand the biological significance of a variety of data. So if you like to get into this new scientific field you should be fond of these 'classic' disciplines. Because the field is so new, almost everyone in it did something else before. Some biologist went into bioinformatics by picking up programming but others entered via the reverse route.
Now you don't have to go through university twice. More and more interdisciplinary programs emerge, for example at the Computer Science and Biotechnology Department at Bielefeld University, Germany. The introductory courses in its bioinformatics program are similar to those of 'classical' computer science: algorithms and data structures, theoretical computer science, computer architecture, and programming practicals. You will also have mathematics courses on linear algebra, analysis, differential equations, applied maths, and statistics. Introductory biology courses are included as well. Later on the amount of biology courses increases, and the student will get also 'hands-on' experience in laboratory work. Here the student gets some sort of idea about the biologist's everyday work and sometimes realizes what computing tools are available and what tools are missing. The ideas for many of them were born during laboratory work!
| Biocomputing Programs in Europe: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bioinformatics | Bielefeld University | Germany |
| Bioinformatics | University of Tuebingen | Germany |
| Molecular Modelling and Bioinformatics | Birkbeck College | United Kingdom |
| Center for Biological Sequence Analysis | The Technical University of Denmark | Denmark |
| MSc Bioinformatics | Dublin City University | Ireland |
| MSc Bioinformatics | Cranfield University at Silsoe | United Kingdom |
| CAOS/CAMM | Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics | Netherlands |
| MSc Bioinformatics for Health Sciences | Universitat de Barcelona/Universitat Pompeu Fabra | Spain |
| MSc in Quantitative Genetics & Genome Analysis | University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom |
| ComBi | University of Helsinki | Finland |
| MRes in Bioinformatics | University of Leeds | United Kingdom |
| Bioinformatics (Computational Molecular Biology) |
University of Manchester | United Kingdom |
| Master
of Philosophy in Molecular Biology with Bioinformatics |
University of Nottingham | United Kingdom |
| MSc Bioinformatics | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
| MSc Bioinformatics | University of Skövde | Sweden |
| MRes in Bioinformatics | University of York | United Kingdom |
| Some institutions are offering
training courses in this area. Here you can study a 'classical subject' and still specialize in bioinformatics. |
||
| Bioinformatics related Professional Development Courses |
University of Oxford Bioscience Programme | United Kingdom |
| Bioinformatics Courses and Seminars | University of Uppsala | Sweden |
| Theoretical
DNA and Protein Analysis |
Stockholm Graduate School in Biophysics | Sweden |
| Bioinformatics (Computational Molecular Biology) |
University of Bergen | Norway |
| Theoretical Biology / Bioinformatics Group | Utrecht University | Netherlands |
| Bioinformatics | The University of Dublin Trinity College |
Ireland |
| Bioinformatics course | Laboratory for Molecular Biology - Genzentrum, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich | Germany |
|
Sequence analysis / biocomputing courses |
UK human genome mapping centre | United Kingdom |
| Informatics in Biology | Pasteur Institute | France |
In USA, anyone you ask about job prospects in the world of bioinformatics for young scientists will give the same answer: This field is hot! It is far from being overpopulated (at least in 1997 :-), and the number of jobs is growing further. Some of the biggest drug firms - like SmithKline Beecham, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Glaxo Wellcome - are hunting for bioinformatics experts while smaller firms have difficulties to get the staffers they want. In Europe, especially in Germany, the situation is less enthusiastic but we're hopefully catching up. While traditional scientific job markets are shrinking, here might be the opportunity many young scientists are looking for.
Bioplanet offers a list of current job postings and more interesting articles and links about bioinformatics.
Alexander Sczyrba
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