Bioinformatics Definition is Technology Used to Store Biological Data - Why the Fuss Over This New Technology?
Today, there is a big buzz around the term bioinformatics. It is a hot topic around all the research and scientific communities. The simplest definition of this term is actually a combination of two existing areas of study – information technology and biotechnology. This field has quickly become one of the fastest growing and most sought out by job hunters. So what does it entail and what is the big buzz about?
Basically, bioinformatics is the combination of using applications of computer technology and applying it to the management of biological information. It combines the logic of computer science along with research and genetics of biology. Add in a good-sized portion of mathematics, statistic skills and other medical modalities, and you have yourself the theory of bioinformatics. We all know that computers store, gather and integrate information about biological and genetic data. This information is then able to be applied to the discovery and development of gene-based drugs.
Bioinformatics is a lot more that just a useful tool in biological research and the development of drugs. It is quickly becoming indispensable to all researchers and scientists alike. The technology of bioinformatics is both versatile and is able to be applied wherever research is being done on genetics, proteins and cells for the use of discovering and development of new drugs. In addition, it can also be applied to make new herbicide and herbicide-resistant products for crops in agriculture. According to Anuradha Acharya of Ociumum Biosoultions in Hyderabad, drug toxicology, pharmaceutical products and clinical trials have also been able to benefit from the use and technology of bioinformatics.
There has been an explosive growth in recent years in biological data. There is a great need for the storage and managing of this data to be protected and secure. The managed data also needs to be kept up to date with the latest technology. The relevance of bioinformatics plays a key role in this process. Projects of large sequencing events can produce increased amounts of nucleotide sequences, thus the need to store data of the nucleotide information is also increasing and even doubling in size.
Without the use of bioinformatics, there could be a stagnant period in the fields of research, medicine and biology. The enormous growth of biological data in the last few years has created the need for better data management capabilities, and thus bioinformatics is a critical piece of the puzzle.
Read More About Bioinformatics
If you find this field fascinating, read on for information on a career in bioinformatics, pursuing a career in bioinformatics, types of projects in bioinformatics, programming skills in Bioinformatics, and PERL for bioinformatics.
