Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is a new and spectacular field which uses methods from informatics to store and process molecular biological information (DNA, proteins, functions). In bioinformatics, molecular biology is combined with informatics and programming. A bioinformatics scientist is capable of retrieving the necessary information from databases and of using these to make predictions. As a bioinformatician you will look for application possibilities of informatics within the (biological/biomedical) laboratory.
- Informatics scientist:
application of informatics techniques to storage, organizing and sharing (molecular biological) data
- Bioinformatics scientist:
data processing and (statistical) analysis by means of bioinformatics tools in a dry lab
- Programmer:
integration by scripting and automation of bioinformatics tools
In the course of the bioinformatics training programme, 3 roles are covered: the role of programmer, the role of informatics scientist and the role of bioinformatics scientist. You learn several programming languages like PHP, Python and R and you use the most relevant databases of which you learn to process and interpret the data. During the programme there is a special emphasis on the application of open source tools, both in a Windows and in a Linux environment. During the traineeship (without a bachelor’s thesis) a fourth role is addressed, the role of the New Young Professional, in which the more generic competences of a bachelor (such as working in team, clear communication, …) are pursued.
All-round bioinformatics technician
Thanks to the increasing use of informatics in life sciences, the field of bioinformatics more and more comes to the forefront. Bioinformatics scientists are needed both in the private sector and in research laboratories of universities and their spin-offs (such as Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB)). Researchers really need the bioinformatics scientist/technicians to make the link between informatics and molecular biology.
A bioinformatics scientist is a polyvalent staff member who can be employed in a very wide range of functions within scientific research, both in the private sector and in academic research centers. He is the key person for the processing of experimental data, the generation of ab initio data by means of existing models. This can be about evolution theory, comparative genome analyses, the improvement in predicting genetic conditions, the follow-up and maintenance of databases. In summary, a bioinformatics scientist is the perfect blend between the ICT expert and the molecular biologist!
