Individual Major

The Bioinformatics major emphasizes skills in programming, data analysis, and mathematical modeling and their application to foundational biology. 

Rationale

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates biology, computer science, statistics and data science to investigate biological systems. By using empirical data, bioinformaticians uncover patterns and build predictive models to explain biological phenomena.

Biological specialties that often incorporate bioinformatics include genomics, neuroscience, proteomics, and evolutionary biology.

Applications include:

  • Analyzing DNA and RNA sequencing data
  • Predicting protein structure and function
  • Constructing phylogenetic trees
  • Modeling population dynamics
  • Analyzing biological images (bioimage informatics)
  • Processing complex signals like audio, seismic waves, or EEG

Scientists working with biological data must navigate complex ethical considerations. The rapid expansion of genomic testing raises concerns about privacy, consent, data security, and responsible disclosure. In addition to technical expertise, bioinformaticians must be able to communicate findings clearly to different audiences.

Central Questions

  • What biological questions can be answered with computational methods?
  • How can computational tools be used to analyze and interpret biological data?
  • What are the ethical considerations in the use of bioinformatics in science and medicine?
  • How can bioinformaticians responsibly and accurately communicate findings?
  • What careers are a bioinformatics major useful for?

Coursework

The individual major in Bioinformatics integrates courses from the following departments:

Foundation

Genetics

  • BIO 233: Intermediate Genetics
  • BIO 292: Gene Editing

Data & Computer Science

  • CSCI 200B: Intro to Machine Learning
  • SDS 264: Data Science 2
  • SDS 341: Algorithms for Decision Making

Mathematics & Statistics

  • MABIO 130: Exploring Biomathematics
  • SDS 272: Statistics 2
  • SDS 284: Biostatistics: Design and Analysis
  • MATH 236: Math of Biology

Ethics

  • PHIL 250: Biomedical Ethics
  • CSCI 263: Ethical Issues in Software Design
  • HIST  299: The Misinformation Age
  • SOAN  267: Medical Anthropology

Supplementary Courses

  • FYS 120: Pulse of Careers in Healthcare
  • BIO 227: Cell Biology
  • PSYCH 235: Sensation and Perception
  • PSYCH 238: Biopsychology
  • BIO 391: Computational Neuroscience