Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that develops and applies computational methods, algorithms, and software tools to analyse and interpret large-scale biological data, particularly sequences of DNA, RNA, and proteins. It integrates biology, computer science, mathematics, and statistics to address problems such as genome assembly, sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and structural prediction. The field is indispensable for modern genomics, drug discovery, and personalised medicine.
Major Bioinformatics Databases and Their Focus Areas
| Database | Acronym | Data Type | Primary Use | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GenBank | NCBI | DNA/RNA sequences | Nucleotide sequence repository | ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| UniProt | UniProt | Protein sequences | Protein annotation and function | uniprot.org |
| Protein Data Bank | PDB | 3D protein structures | Structural biology and drug design | rcsb.org |
| Ensembl | — | Genome annotations | Comparative genomics | ensembl.org |
| KEGG | KEGG | Pathways and genomes | Metabolic and signalling pathway analysis | kegg.jp |
| miRBase | — | microRNA sequences | Non-coding RNA research | mirbase.org |
Interactive Tools
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Related Terms
Genomics
Genomics is the branch of molecular biology concerned with the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of the complete set of DNA (genome) of an organism, including all genes and non-coding sequences. Unlike classical genetics, which studies individual genes, genomics takes a large-scale approach using high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics to analyse entire genomes simultaneously. Genomics drives advances in personalised medicine, drug discovery, evolutionary biology, and agricultural improvement.
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of the entire complement of proteins (the proteome) expressed by a genome, cell, tissue, or organism at a given time and under specific conditions. Unlike the static genome, the proteome is highly dynamic — proteins vary in abundance, post-translational modifications (PTMs), localisation, and interactions in response to cellular state and environment. Mass spectrometry combined with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis or liquid chromatography is the primary technology platform used to identify, quantify, and characterise proteins at a systems level.
Systems Biology
Systems biology is an integrative, holistic approach to understanding biological organisms by studying the complex interactions among components — genes, proteins, metabolites, and cells — rather than examining them in isolation. It combines high-throughput experimental data (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) with mathematical modelling, network analysis, and computational simulation to predict emergent behaviours of living systems. Applications include understanding drug resistance, modelling disease progression, and designing synthetic gene circuits.
From Greek "bios" (life) + "informatics" (information science). The term was coined by Paulien Hogeweg and Ben Hesper in 1970 to describe the study of informatic processes in biotic systems.