Bioinformatics is a fascinating and diverse scientific discipline that harnesses the power of computer science, biology, statistics, and mathematics to acquire, analyze, and interpret complex biological information. With the help of computing, researchers can study DNA sequences for different purposes.
This field is growing and offers various professional applications in medicine, ecology, and agriculture. In the following article, we discuss some Bioinformatics courses available on the Internet so you can choose the one that best suits you.
Bioinformatics for beginners: the option offered by Coursera
“Biology meets programming: Bioinformatics for beginners” is the name of the course available on the Coursera platform. The course is for beginners, so it does not require any prior experience. Although it is in English, it is possible to translate it into 22 languages. The course consists of 18 hours to complete over three weeks at a rate of 6 hours each. This flexible schedule allows you to learn at your own pace. Your instructors are Pavel Pevzner and Phillip Compeau from the University of San Diego, California.
Among the Bioinformatics courses for beginners, this one is free to access. However, you must access the paid version to access all the available material and get your certificate. You also have the option of applying for a scholarship or financial aid.
The course has already accumulated nearly 1,500 reviews, with an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5, an outstanding score. It guarantees acquiring basic skills in Bioinformatics, Biology, bioinformatics algorithms, and the Python programming language.
Coursera Bioinformatics for Beginners Course Features
The course consists of four modules based on two fundamental questions: Where in the genome does replication begin? A topic is divided into two parts to work on during the first two weeks. The second is about the DNA patterns that play the role of molecular clocks—the other two weeks.
During the course, students learn to program in a scientific environment: the resolution of biological dilemmas by implementing algorithms that involve programming challenges and content that serves as an introduction to the Specialization in Bioinformatics offered by Coursera.
Throughout the four weeks, the course relies on two mandatory components. One is interactive text, which provides programming challenges that students have to assume to solve fundamental biological situations. The platform offers Python exercises for those who do not know this language.
The other component is the questionnaire – a summary with which each weekend. The material is accompanied by conference videos with complementary information, optional within the course.
Student Testimonials
Several students who have taken the course have described it as a “wonderful experience,” highlighting the possibility of learning with an adaptable schedule. They have also demonstrated how they have applied their new knowledge to work on projects with excellent results.
“Introduction to Bioinformatics Programming with Python,” Udemy option
Among the Bioinformatics courses available online, the one on Udemy invites you to learn to program in Python to manipulate biological data and open new paths to scientific research. The course is in English and does not require basic knowledge.
The training has hundreds of ratings, with an average of 4.1 stars. It consists of 1 hour and 16 minutes of video and was created by Ph.D. Diego Mariano is a researcher, systems analyst, and teacher of online paths on databases, programming languages, and Bioinformatics.
The course develops content that includes Bioinformatics concepts, the manipulation of DNA and protein sequences, the construction of your first computer program, the development of Python scripts, and the management of the Biopython library.
This free version does not include a certificate upon completion, dynamic questions and answers with the instructors, or the possibility of sending direct messages to the instructor. The course can be taken by any student who wants to learn about programming applied to Bioinformatics.
Features of the Udemy Introduction to Programming for Bioinformatics course
The course highlights a fundamental idea: technological advances in sequencing have led to important discoveries. In this context, computer science knowledge has become indispensable for working with large volumes of data.
Given the importance of knowing how to create computer programs in developing this discipline, the course instructs in the programming fundamentals required to make programs intended for execution in this field.
The apprentices learn to create their algorithms and pipelines using Python, the primary programming language in this discipline. They will also learn to examine biological data sets. The course provides the basic concepts.
Moreover, the course is designed for apprentices starting in this field. Consequently, they don’t need programming knowledge. At Insiderbits, we want to offer you the best information so that you can choose the best course for your training.
Student Testimonials
Different comments from students who have taken the course have highlighted two fundamental aspects: the essential introductory part on Python is rated as quite reasonable. However, the Biopython section needs to offer more resources.
We should point out that the platform offers payment methods that provide more excellent resources and learning possibilities in Bioinformatics. Prices for these methods range from $44.99 to $74.99.
Israel: Fundamentals of Genomics and Biomedical Informatics, the EDX Course
The EDX bioinformatics course is undoubtedly the most complete among the Bioinformatics courses available on the Internet. Aimed at physicians and health informatics enthusiasts, it addresses how the data revolution can be harnessed in clinical and research settings.
The course will be completed in 12 weeks at a rate of two to three hours per week. Like the previous two programs, you can progress at your own pace. It covers the bioinformatics field’s central concepts, algorithms, and databases.
Although it does not require prerequisites, the creators assume that students handle the terminology used in the health sciences and concepts acquired in medical or biological training programs. The course is free, with limited access to support material and no certificate.
The course is in English, and some skills you can acquire are associated with medical records, Artificial Intelligence, Data Sciences, Biomedical Informatics, Computational Biology, Genomics, Algorithms, Personalized Medicine, Machine Learning, RNA Sequencing, etc.
Main features of the EDX Bioinformatics course
Although they state that the training does not turn the student into a full-fledged Bioinformatician, the course consists of an advanced-level study program. The course comprises three pillars, which are the three innovations that drive the data revolution in the field of medicine:
- Sequencing. Next-generation sequencing is the ability to sequence individual genomes at an increasingly lower cost.
- Electronic records. We digitized medical records and the ability to retrieve large data sets from those records with machine learning techniques.
- Portable devices. It suggests collecting data using unconventional methods like social networks, crowdsourcing, and prolific resources like the Internet.
The field of medicine requires innovative tools to keep pace with new technologies. These tools need to be taught in medical school’s study programs.
This proposal’s contribution is born from more than ten years of joint effort by a group of computational biology researchers and doctors from Bar-Ilan University and Sheba Medical Center. The Ministry of Health and the Israel Medical Association have endorsed the course.
What do the students say?
Several testimonies show how the course exceeded the students’ initial expectations. Some highlight how the knowledge acquired in medical data mining positively impacted their career.
Others have stated that it has changed their lives and highly recommend it, mainly because it has allowed them to use computer tools that they have applied in various fields and that have helped them solve medical dilemmas of a certain level of complexity.
Ready to take your first Bioinformatics course?
As you can see, you have different options for taking Bioinformatics courses, a new discipline in total growth in demand. The three proposals invite introductory training, although EDX’s is the most complete.
In all three cases, the free version has limitations regarding complementary material and access to the certificate of completion. However, EDX’s paid offering is comprehensive and lower than Udemy’s paid paths, at $59.
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