Bioinformatics Scientist

Overview and Key Facts

man looking at computer analysing DNA data

Education
Master's degree

Median Pay
$82,220

Job Growth
2.20%
(Below US Average)

Jobs in 2029
45,700

What Do They Do?

A bioinformatics scientist could...

Overview
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The human body can be viewed as a machine made up of complex processes. Scientists are working on figuring out how these processes work and on sequencing and correlating the sections of the genome that correspond to the individual processes. (The genome is an organism's complete set of genetic material.) In the course of doing so, they generate large amounts of data. So large, in fact, that to make sense of it, the data must be organized into databases and labeled. This is where bioinformatics scientists step in. They design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic and other biological information. These scientists work at the crossroads of biology and computer science.
Bioinformatics Scientist
Owen White is associate director of bioinformatics at the Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine. In this video, Dr. White discusses what the bioinformatics field includes and why the need for bioinformatics scientists will increase in the future.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Bioinformatics Scientist?


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Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Bioinformatics Scientist might do:
  • Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.
  • Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports.
  • Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals.
  • Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies.
  • Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes.
  • Keep abreast of new biochemistries, instrumentation, or software by reading scientific literature and attending professional conferences.
  • Develop data models and databases.
  • Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics.
  • Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms.
  • Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases.
  • Direct the work of technicians and information technology staff applying bioinformatics tools or applications in areas such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, or clinical bioinformatics.
  • Provide statistical and computational tools for biologically based activities, such as genetic analysis, measurement of gene expression, or gene function determination.
  • Create or modify web-based bioinformatics tools.

Salary & Job Openings

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Bioinformatics Scientist

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