[BioEdu] What kind of programming skills should a bioinformatician have?

[J.W. Bizzaro]

I think that those carrying the title "bioinformatician/ist" are increasingly seen as computer scientists with a specialization in biological data management and analysis.

Remember, there are two major groups in the field: users and developers.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Fitri is arguing that you can pursue a career as a bioinformatics user.

I once heard Lincoln Stein of Cold Spring Harbor Lab argue that the field of bioinformatics will be absorbed back into the field of biology as biologists begin to use bioinformatic methods in every day work.  This is probably true for those who are users, but I think developers will have enough unique "CS toolsets" to be able to a lot of things that wet lab biologists cannot.

Thus, if you are interested in drug design or recombinant DNA technology "using" bioinformatic tools, it may be better to pursue a career in biochemistry or molecular biology.  In such a case, I think the need to understand the science would outweigh the need to understand the technology.

Cheers,
Jeff

fitri.amelia at ui.edu wrote:
> Dear Mr. Erwin
> 
> I've graduated my master program in bioinformatics field. I think you just
> 1) know what you wanna do? If you wanna try to design vaccine, what kind
> of vaccine do you want? DNA or protein, then what is the step? if you have
> known the proces, you just search in web. Example: your first step is
> amplification you DNA, it means you'll work in PCR and you need primer. So
> you should try to find the software that can find the primer.
> 2) if you don't familiar in using software, you can read "help" in each
> software
> 
> 
> you can explain clearly your objective, may be I know the software that
> appropriate with your objective.
> 
> 
> My field is Medical bioinformatics
> 
> 
> Regard,
> 
> Fitri Amelia
> 

-- 
J.W. Bizzaro
Bioinformatics Organization, Inc. (Bioinformatics.Org)
E-mail: jeff at bioinformatics.org
Phone:  +1 978 562 4800
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