BIO4103 Introduction to Bioinformatics and Analysis of Biological Data
- Number of credits10
- Teaching semester2025 Spring
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusHamar
- Required prerequisite knowledge
Recommended prior knowledge: Biochemistry and/or Molecular Biology and basics of Computer Science and Mathematics.
Bioinformatics is a branch of science that uses computers to store, retrieve, analyze, visualize, and distribute information related to biological macromolecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes biology, computer science, chemistry, and statistics. The course introduces the students to bioinformatics tools and algorithms for studying biological data using computer tools. The application of bioinformatics for the analysis of biological data focuses on several UN Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals), including quality education, good health and well-being, industry innovation and infrastructure. The course is primarily for biotechnology students but is also relevant for computer science or machine learning students wishing to learn about the use of informatics in life sciences.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to biological databases and database searching
- Pairwise and multiple sequence alignment
- Phylogenetic analysis
- Genomics and genome assembly
- Transcriptomics and Epigenetics
- Proteomics
- Protein structure modeling
- Primer design for PCR/RT-PCR
Learning Outcome
Upon passing the course, students have achieved the following learning outcomes:
Students
- have advanced knowledge of topics, algorithms, tools, and methods in the field of* Bioinformatics.
- have knowledge at an advanced level of analysis of biological data, including next-generation sequence data.
Students
- can use bioinformatics methods and tools associated with nucleotide and amino acids sequence alignment, database searches, phylogenetics, omics data analysis, and protein structural studies.
- understand the rationale for methods and algorithms to be accurate and useful in biological data analysis.
Students
- can operate commonly used bioinformatics tools for analysis of biological data, including omics data, and understand their pros and cons.
- can communicate extensive independent work in an academic report, and master language and terminology of the field.
- Lectures: Detailed lectures are given to provide an overview of the main topics in the course.
- Computer Lab: Practical exercises throughout the semester where students will conduct a series of computer tools to solve bioinformatics tasks.
- Compulsory Assignment: Individual written report of an assigned bioinformatics problem.
Normally, evaluation of all courses must be carried out. Time/date and method are decided in consultation with student representatives. The course coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the evaluation is carried out.
- Attendance of at least 80% for all scheduled lectures and computer lab exercises.
- One individual written report of an assigned bioinformatics problem must be passed.
- 4-hour individual written school exam
Performance is assessed using a grading scale from A-F, where E is the lowest passing grade.
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Written examination with invigilation | ECTS - A-F | Individual | 4 Hour(s) | 100 |