This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of bioinformatics, an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, computer science, and data analysis to understand biological data. Designed for students and professionals in life sciences, this course provides a strong foundation in key bioinformatics principles and techniques.

The course begins with an overview of bioinformatics, followed by an exploration of major biological databases used for storing and retrieving genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. Students will learn about sequence alignment and comparison techniques, which are essential for identifying similarities between DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. The course then delves into genomics and genome analysis, offering insights into large-scale genetic studies, followed by an introduction to proteomics and protein structure analysis.

Advanced topics in bioinformatics, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis and machine learning applications, will be discussed to highlight the latest developments in the field. Real-world applications of bioinformatics in drug discovery, personalized medicine, and biotechnology will also be explored.

A key feature of this course is a hands-on demonstration of essential bioinformatics tools, including BLAST for sequence similarity searches and genome browsers for visualizing genomic data. By the end of this course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to apply bioinformatics tools in research and industry settings.

• Basics of Bioinformatics

• Biological Databases

• Sequence Alignment and Comparison

• Genomics and Genome Analysis

• Proteomics and Protein Structure Analysis

• Advanced Topics in Bioinformatics

• Applications of Bioinformatics 

• Hands-on Demonstration (BLAST and genome browsing)