UAB’s New Bioinformatics Program Is First Of Its Kind In State

By Tiffany Westry Womack

The University of Alabama at Birmingham will launch a Bachelor of Science degree in bioinformatics this fall. The interdisciplinary program is the first of its kind in the state.

Bioinformatics is the science of collecting and analyzing complex biological data, such as genetic codes. The field combines computer science, biology, chemistry, mathematics, genetics and engineering. The bioinformatics program at UAB will train students in basic concepts and skills to perform computational analysis of biological data, including the human genome, creating a well-trained workforce that can take on health care challenges in Alabama and beyond.

“With the sequencing of the human genome, scientists now have access to extremely large amounts of biological data,” said Yuilang Zheng, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Computer Science. “In order for this data to help doctors and researchers better understand living systems and guide treatment of human diseases, it must be organized, managed and analyzed. This new program builds on an array of disciplines, giving students a marketable degree that will provide cutting-edge employment opportunities, as well as a platform for success in graduate school, medical school, and other clinical-professional schools.” Graduates of the program will be at the front lines of the emerging disciplines of biocomputing, computational biology and bioinformatics. The skills obtained can be of use in both basic and applied research in the academic, government, pharmaceutical, medical or biotechnology sectors.

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