Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary program offering substantial training in both the biological sciences and the physical and mathematical sciences, with an emphasis on computer programming coupled with genetics and molecular biology. Students are expected to acquire programming, databasing, and operating system skills coupled with a foundation in mathematics and statistics. In addition, students will receive broad training in the basic concepts of biology and chemistry. Students attracted to this program have dual interests in math/computer science and biology, and find it an exceptional option for their broad interests.
Undergraduates majoring in bioinformatics are expected to participate in research training both on and off campus. The bioinformatics faculty has substantial research programs in phylogenetics, biophysics, ecological modeling, and proteomics with developing programs in biodiversity informatics and biotechnology/agricultural genomics. Students are encouraged to participate in one of these bioinformatic research programs. For a further description of research opportunities and research groups on campus see our website at www.bioinformatics.byu.edu.
The bioinformatics major offers an abundance of internship opportunities off campus in addition to working with faculty on campus as described above. Students have worked at federal research labs (NIH, NCBI, NCI), at other universities, and at private biotech and pharmaceutical companies seeking summer interns in bioinformatics. The bioinformatics major offers placement assistance for such programs and encourages students to gain a variety of external research experiences.
The bioinformatics major is designed to develop the skills of those students with interests in both computer science and the biological sciences and to merge these interests in the area of bioinformatics or computational biology. The breadth of skills acquired will provide students with exciting options from graduate school, professional school (medical, dental, law), to employment opportunities directly out of this undergraduate program, especially with biotechnology companies.
Students in this major may apply for university, college, and department scholarships. A limited number of research or teaching assistant positions for undergraduate students also exist.
Chem 105* General College Chemistry
Chem 106 General College Chemistry