Bioinformatics and Genomics and Computational Bioengineering
Core Areas B & D

The pace of extraordinary advances in molecular biology has accelerated in the past decade due to discoveries coming from genome projects on human and model organisms. However, it is the transfer of comprehensive genomic information to the next level of characterization of structure and function that signals a new maturity in biology. The rapid acquisition of quantitative data by experimental techniques (that are themselves being revolutionized) promises to further enhance the descriptive power of biology as well as expanding the science into a predictive one. The convergence of biology to the next level of characterization ensures that these areas of biology are genuinely endowed with computational complexity beyond just data management and organization. The simultaneous revolutions of genomics and computing therefore has given rise to a new breed of researcher whose knowledge and expertise span the biological, physical, mathematical, engineering and computing sciences disciplines. Because of the fact that biology and computing will likely dominate scientific and industrial endeavors in the new century, with great mass appeal and public support, a few universities such as UC Berkeley are integrating these disciplines into a coherent program in computational biology and bioinformatics.

Those who take up the challenges presented in computational biology and bioinformatics will acquire a combination of knowledge of biology, physics, computer science, and software engineering, aided by the strength of programs in Molecular and Cell Biology, Plant and Microbial Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and the Computational Engineering Science programs at Berkeley, as well as a new Graduate Group in Medical Information Science at UCSF. Substantial resources have been created or exist in Berkeley for the direct support of the program in computational biology and bioinformatics including NSF and NIH training grants, and state-of-the-art faculties at LBNL including the JGI, NERSC, and the ALS.