| <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: | | | | bioinformatics at its School of Biotechnology. There is |
| 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } --> | | | | an Advanced (Graduate) Diploma in Bioinformatics |
| Biology is no longer restricted to its qualitative quests. | | | | offered by the Bioinformatics Center at the |
| The huge amount of data being generated from the | | | | Jawaharlal Nehru University. An Advanced Diploma in |
| Genomics and proteomics research and other | | | | Bioinformatics is being offered at the Bioinformatics |
| associated techniques has transformed biology into | | | | Center at The University of Pune. Bioinformatics |
| an increasingly quantitative science. There is a | | | | Institute of India is conducting a one year |
| growing need for Bioinformatics skill to deal with this | | | | correspondence course on Industry Program in |
| explosion of data. For many, especially those who are | | | | Bioinformatics, Biomedical Informatics, Clinical Trial and |
| very little acquainted with the subject, Bioinformatics | | | | Clinical Research, Pharma Regulatory Affairs, |
| deals with research, development, or application of | | | | Biotechnology. BII is also offering various online |
| computational tools and approaches for expanding | | | | programs through their web site. |
| the use of biological, medical, behavioral or health | | | | When it comes to tapping a career in bioinformatics, |
| data, including those to acquire, store, organize, | | | | what one may essentially require is: fundamental |
| archive, analyze, or visualize such data. It involves the | | | | knowledge of biology along with some exposure to |
| creation and advancement of algorithms, | | | | computational techniques and concepts. However, |
| computational and statistical techniques, and theory | | | | there is good scope for even those with Computer |
| to solve formal and practical problems posed by or | | | | Science, Physical Chemistry and Physics background. |
| inspired from the management and analysis of | | | | In fact according to experts, in certain niches of the |
| biological data. To put it in simpler terms, | | | | bioinformatics workshop like developing and applying |
| Bioinformatics is where the domain of fundamental | | | | numerical algorithms and data mining, computer |
| biology meets with those of mathematics, statistics | | | | programmers, Physical Chemists and Physicists tend |
| and computational sciences to analyze the data | | | | to be more skilled as compared to their biological |
| generated by large number of individual experimental | | | | counterparts. The growing field of bioinformatics has |
| data. | | | | made good room for people with IT background with |
| The Bioinformatics domain is expanding fast and wide | | | | keen interest in biology, especially molecular biology. |
| and this has already been stimulated to a significant | | | | The skills that are usually sought from an aspirant |
| extent by the completion of the human DNA | | | | with an IT background are - (a) Simple and basic |
| sequence in the spring of 2003. The world | | | | understanding of molecular entities like DNA, RNA, |
| bioinformatics market value is expected to be around | | | | Proteins and molecular processes such as |
| $7 billion dollars by the year 2007. Considering the | | | | Transcription and Translation, which is for most part |
| current spending in the biotechnology sector towards | | | | taken care by the training provided by the company. |
| informatics and relevant hardware, software and | | | | (b) Proficiency in using and administering databases |
| services and the growth of the biotech industry | | | | like Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, Sybase. (c) |
| around the world, there would be a substantial | | | | Programming skills in JAVA, C, C++, PERL, web |
| amount of spending on bioinformatics. Though India | | | | scripting etc. (c) Good understanding (in certain |
| has still a small space among the world bioinformatics | | | | cases) of operating system platforms like UNIX and |
| leaders, the opportunities for growth are huge. With | | | | LINUX. (d) Informatics related problem solving skills. |
| revenues reaching around $19 million dollars in the | | | | When it comes to tapping a career in bioinformatics, |
| year 2005, India is all set to touch an expected mark | | | | what one may essentially require is a strong |
| of $3 billion dollars by the end of year 2010. | | | | fundamental knowledge of biology along with some |
| Since the domain of Bioinformatics is rooted in life | | | | exposure to computational techniques and concepts. |
| sciences as well as computer and information | | | | However, there are opportunities even for graduates |
| sciences and technologies, an enormous need has | | | | in Statistics, Physical Chemistry and Physics. According |
| emerged for people skilled in not only the | | | | to experts, in certain niches of the bioinformatics |
| fundamentals of biological science but with a sound | | | | such as developing and applying numerical algorithms |
| grasp of computational science as well. People with | | | | and data mining, Physical Chemists and Physicists tend |
| formal training, or experience in bioinformatics are not | | | | to be more skilled when compared to their biological |
| finding it hard to search for employment. There is a | | | | counterparts. There are ample opportunities for |
| great need for bioinformaticists in both the industrial | | | | those with an IT background with strong interest or |
| and academic spheres. In fact, job opportunities in | | | | knowledge in the biological sciences, especially |
| the field are so good that, at the moment, potential | | | | molecular biology. People with just a biological |
| employers are finding it difficult to meet their | | | | sciences or computer sciences degree along with a |
| requirement of skilled bioinformatics talent. This is an | | | | Master's degree in bioinformatics or computational |
| even greater concern for academic institutes as the | | | | biology is one best profile to get going with the |
| flow of skilled manpower is always biased towards | | | | bioinformatics careers. People with a master's degree |
| the industries, attributed to lucrative salaries and long | | | | are usually looked on favorably by recruiters as it |
| term employment benefits. | | | | provides the basic foundation along with some |
| The rise in opportunities in this field has led to an | | | | practical experience which is usually lacking at a |
| increase in the number of bioinformatics academic | | | | graduate level. A bit of working experience in IT may |
| programs around the country. There are far more | | | | add a feather to your cap. However an |
| academic training programs available now than they | | | | undergraduate degree in bioinformatics is also an |
| were a few years ago, with more universities | | | | option that can be considered. |
| planning to roll out their programs. The Department | | | | The major employer of bioinformatics talent is |
| of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and | | | | currently the drug designing industry and the |
| Technology, India had established the Biotechnology | | | | bioinformatics software and solution based |
| Information System (BTIS) network way back in | | | | companies. Others including biotechnology companies, |
| 1987 to create an infrastructure that enables it to | | | | especially those involved in personal care products, |
| harness, biotechnology through the application of | | | | industrial organisms and agriculture have also shown |
| Bioinformatics. BTIS is today recognized as one of | | | | great promise. Some prominent areas within |
| the major scientific network in the world dedicated | | | | bioinformatics where opportunities are arising are |
| to provide the-state-of-the-art infrastructure, | | | | Proteomics, Pharmacogenomics, Functional Genomics, |
| education, manpower and tools in bioinformatics. | | | | Sequence Mapping and Analysis, Data Mining and |
| Under BTIS, there are Ten Distributed Information | | | | Management etc. While hunting for jobs related to |
| Centers. The Apex Center is located at the | | | | bioinformatics, these days, some usual titles to |
| Department of Biotechnology. There are 46 | | | | consider would be: |
| Sub-Distributed Information Centers, located in | | | | For Biologists: Bioinformatician, Geneticist, |
| various universities and research institutes of national | | | | Computational Biologist, Biostatistician etc. |
| importance. Long term courses at the level of post | | | | For an IT professionals: Applications Programmer, |
| MSc Diploma in Bioinformatics are being offered at | | | | Programmer Analyst, Object Modeler, Quality |
| Pune University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Calcutta | | | | Assurance Engineer, Software development Engineer, |
| University and Madurai Kamaraj University, in this | | | | Bioinformatics programmer / Analyst / Developer etc. |
| inter-disciplinary area. More information about the | | | | Apticraft Systems (P) Ltd, a software company |
| Distributed Information Centers and Sub-Centers | | | | based company in Indore employs biologists and |
| scattered across the various states of India could be | | | | software experts to develop software for use in life |
| obtained from the BTIS official website.Major | | | | science research. Founded in 2001, Apticraft Systems |
| institutes/universities in India, offering a specialized | | | | is the vision of a few computer savvy technocrats, |
| course in this line are Institute of Bioinformatics and | | | | who have been actively involved in this field for the |
| Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bangalore, Indian | | | | last 10 yrs. At Apticraft Systems, the goal is to |
| Institute of Technology, Delhi, Indian Institute of | | | | create top quality software using the best software |
| Technolog,Kharagpur, Center of Cellular and Molecular | | | | development practices. Apticraft has successfully |
| Biology (Hyderabad), National Institute of Immunology | | | | offered its software development expertise and |
| (New Delhi), Institute of Microbial Technology | | | | value added services to contractual clients who cater |
| (Chandigarh). Madurai Kamaraj University in Madurai | | | | to renowned academic research institutions, |
| claims to have been the first in the country to initiate | | | | government agencies, pharmaceutical and |
| a bioinformatics programme and advanced diploma in | | | | biotechnology companies, around the world. |