What is Bioinformatics ?
Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to the management of biological information. Computers are used to gather, store, analyze and integrate biological and genetic information which can then be applied to gene-based drug discovery and development. The need for Bioinformatics capabilities has been precipitated by the explosion of publicly available genomic information resulting from the Human Genome Project. The goal of this project – determination of the sequence of the entire human genome (approximately three billion base pairs) – will be reached by the year 2002. The science of Bioinformatics, which is the melding of molecular biology with computer science, is essential to the use of genomic information in understanding human diseases and in the identification of new molecular targets for drug discovery. In recognition of this, many universities, government institutions and pharmaceutical firms have formed bioinformatics groups, consisting of computational biologi
Bioinformatics involves the integration of computers, software tools, and databases in an effort to address biological questions. Bioinformatics approaches are often used for major initiatives that generate large data sets. Two important large-scale activities that use bioinformatics are genomics and proteomics. Genomics refers to the analysis of genomes. A genome can be thought of as the complete set of DNA sequences that codes for the hereditary material that is passed on from generation to generation. These DNA sequences include all of the genes (the functional and physical unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring) and transcripts (the RNA copies that are the initial step in decoding the genetic information) included within the genome. Thus, genomics refers to the sequencing and analysis of all of these genomic entities, including genes and transcripts, in an organism. Proteomics, on the other hand, refers to the analysis of the complete set of proteins or proteome. In addit
Is this the only definition of Bioinformatics? Absolutely not. Bioinformatics is a bright new field. This is exemplified in the lack of a standard definition for the word. Here is a sampling of definitions that we found after a simple web search. All certainly have a high degree of validity. Bioinformatics: The science of developing computer databases and algorithms for the purpose of speeding up and enhancing biological research. Bioinformatics is being used most noticeably in the Human Genome Project, the effort to identify the 80,000 genes in human DNA . New academic programs are training students in Bioinformatics by providing them with backgrounds in molecular biology and in computer science, including database design and analytical approaches. (Definition from Whatis.com) Bioinformatics: a combination of Computer Science, Information Technology and Genetics to determine and analyze genetic information. (Definition from BitsJournal.com) Bioinformatics: is the science and technolog
Bioinformatics is defined here as an interdisciplinary research area that applies computer and information science to solve biological problems. However, this is not the only definition. The field is being defined (and redefined) at present, and there are probably as many definitions as there are bioinformaticians (bioinformaticists?). The following references are a snapshot of the moving target named bioinformatics. They begin with a few attempts at definition, then move to articles on training, funding, and career possiblities. Suggestions for additions to this list are welcome. The list began in 2000, and 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2004-2005, and 2006-2007 articles have been archived. Access to full text articles may be limited to those at the University of Minnesota.
