BOL: Related items

Should you get sequenced? Not all bad genes predict disease

Rahul Agarwal — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 15:10:53 -0500

“What we really don’t know yet is whether the predictive aspects of the genome are going to turn out to be beneficial or potentially harmful”

“As we roll out genomic medicine we are fighting against this society-wide misconception that having the bad gene means you’re going to get the disease. That’s only true in a very few cases.”

Source:Today Health

Address of the bookmark: http://www.today.com/health/should-you-get-sequenced-not-all-bad-genes-predict-disease-8C11017154

What is Healthcare Informatics?

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:49:54 -0500

Incorporating information technologies and information management, this work describes evolving areas of efficiency in the healthcare industry due to healthcare informatics enhancements. Beginning with an overview of how information management can enhance organizational efficiency the book delves into how informatics can impact productivity for healthcare providers and reduce costs. It stresses the incorporation of available information technologies along with appropriate management tactics to ensure the most effective informatics outcomes that can drive efficiencies. Areas that are addressed include project management in healthcare, knowledge management, decision support systems, business intelligence, Six Sigma, and advanced analytics such as data mining.

Bioinformatics Scientist at ICAR Labs

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:47:03 -0600

AGRICUL AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS RECRUITMENT BOARD TURAL SCIENTISTS RECRUITMENT BOARD
KRISHI ANUSANDHAN BHAVAN-I, PUSA, NEW DELHI-110 012

ADVERTISEMENT NO. 03/2014

PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST

Pay Band: Minimum pay of `43,000 in the PB-4 of `37400-67000/- + RGP of `10,000/-.

Age: The candidates must not have attained the age of 52 years as on 19.01.2015. There shall be no age limit for the Council’s employees.

ICAR-Indian Institute for Agricultural Biotechnology, (IIAB) Ranchi (Jharkhand)

151. Principal Scientist (Bioinformatics) (One post)

SENIOR SCIENTIST/PROGRAMME COORDINATOR

Pay Band: PB-4 of ` 37400-67000/- + RGP of ` 9,000/-.

Age: The candidates must not have attained the age of 47 years as on 19.01.2015. There shall be no age limit for the Council’s employees.

National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur (Chhattishgarh)

166. Senior Scientist (Bioinformatics) (One post)

IMPORTANT NOTE
I. (i) CLOSING DATE

THE CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS RECRUITMENT BOARD IS 19.01.2015 (For applications posted from abroad and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshdweep, Minicoy and Amindivi islands, States/ Union Territories in the North-Eastern Region, Ladakh Division of J & K State, Sikkim, Pangi, Sub-division of Chamba, Lahul and Spiti Districts of Himachal Pradesh, the last date for receipt of application will be 02.02.2015). Non receipt of the application by the closing date will result in rejection of the application.

More Info: http://asrb.org.in/administrator/uploads_dir/1418978057english.pdf

Early Genome Screening: The New Health Horoscope!

LEGE — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 19:44:36 -0600

In an era where precision medicine is reshaping healthcare, genome screening is emerging as the modern equivalent of a health horoscope. It offers insights into our biological "stars," unraveling predispositions to various conditions and empowering individuals with knowledge to navigate their health journeys proactively. But how reliable is this "horoscope," and how does it impact our lives?

Understanding Genome Screening

Genome screening involves analyzing an individual's DNA to identify genetic variations that may influence health and disease susceptibility. This can range from simple single-gene tests to comprehensive whole-genome sequencing. By peering into our genetic blueprint, we can uncover risks for conditions like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even rare genetic disorders.

The process is straightforward: a saliva or blood sample is collected, and advanced sequencing technologies decipher the genetic code. The results provide a personalized health map, guiding lifestyle modifications, preventive measures, or medical interventions.

A Shift from Reactive to Proactive Healthcare

Traditional healthcare often focuses on treating diseases after they manifest. Genome screening flips this model on its head, enabling a shift toward prevention and early intervention. For instance:

Cancer Risk Management: Individuals with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations can opt for enhanced screening programs or preventive surgeries to mitigate their risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Cardiovascular Health: Genetic predispositions to conditions like familial hypercholesterolemia can prompt early cholesterol monitoring and lifestyle adjustments.
Rare Diseases: Identifying carriers of genetic disorders can aid in family planning and reduce the incidence of inherited conditions.

The Ethical and Practical Concerns

While genome screening offers incredible promise, it is not without challenges:

Accuracy and Interpretation: Genetic predisposition does not guarantee disease. Misinterpretation of results can lead to unnecessary anxiety or unwarranted medical interventions.
Privacy and Data Security: Genetic data is highly sensitive. Ensuring robust data protection measures is crucial to prevent misuse.
Accessibility and Equity: High costs and limited availability may restrict access to genome screening, exacerbating health disparities.

Balancing Science and Pseudoscience

The comparison of genome screening to horoscopes isn’t entirely unfounded. Both offer predictive insights, but the scientific foundation of genome screening distinguishes it from astrology. Unlike the alignment of celestial bodies, genetic predictions are based on rigorous data and evidence. However, the probabilistic nature of genetic predispositions underscores the importance of interpreting results in conjunction with clinical and lifestyle factors.

The Road Ahead

As genome screening becomes more affordable and integrated into routine healthcare, its potential to transform lives is immense. Policymakers, healthcare providers, and genetic counselors must collaborate to ensure ethical implementation, public awareness, and equitable access.

Imagine a future where your genetic "horoscope" is a trusted guide, not just a prediction. Early genome screening could help chart a healthier path for generations, making it a cornerstone of personalized medicine. After all, our genes might just hold the key to unlocking a future of better health and well-being.

ShRec3D

Jitendra Narayan — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 23:14:52 -0600

ShRec3D is a program that aims at reconstructing a genome 3D structure (b) from the sole knowledge of the contacts between different genomic regions (a) as determined by Hi-C (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19815776).

There are two options to run ShRec3D (on linuX only so far): the first one uses the Matlab complier runtime environment (MCR), the second one doesn't need any other library to be installed but only works with the latest versions of Linux (equivalent to Fedora 19 and above).

Address of the bookmark: https://sites.google.com/site/julienmozziconacci/#TOC-Downloads

Ruby and BioRuby Tutorials

Jitendra Narayan — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:18:28 -0500

Collections of Ruby and BioRuby learning materials.

BioRuby paper link : http://bioinformatics.oxfordjournals.org/content/26/20/2617.abstract

Address of the bookmark: http://www.codeschool.com/paths/ruby

Which of the followings are the best place to study Bioinformatics ?

Reshma Khatun — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 00:20:30 -0600

Bioinformatics is a major growth area and qualified Bioinformaticians are in high demand. An explosion in biological data has resulted from genome projects, next generation sequencing and other 'omics' techniques. Bioinformatics provides the tools to analyse and exploit such data sets.

Can you please suggest me the best place to study bioinformatics ( Grad/PostGrad).

Visual machine learning !!!

Jitendra Narayan — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 04:29:13 -0500

In machine learning, computers apply statistical learning techniques to automatically identify patterns in data. These techniques can be used to make highly accurate predictions.

More at http://www.r2d3.us/visual-intro-to-machine-learning-part-1/

Address of the bookmark: http://www.r2d3.us/visual-intro-to-machine-learning-part-1/

Roche has acquired Bina Technologies !!!

Jit — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 09:42:16 -0600

Bina Technologies is a privately held company that provides a big data platform for centralized management and processing of next generation sequencing (NGS) data for the academic and translational research markets. Bina will be integrated into the Roche Sequencing Unit, and will continue to focus on development of their innovative genomic analysis solution.

Roche has acquired Bina Technologies, a privately-owned biotech company based in California. The biotech’s first product was the Bina Box, a platform for secondary genomic analysis, sequence alignment, and variant calling, but since 2012, it has developed other products and platforms.

It is our shared vision with Roche that informatics and data sciences are critical elements of an end-to-end genomics solution. Fast, easy-to-use, scalable, and robust informatics solutions make a big difference in the quality and impact of the work of scientists and researchers. We believe in the future of data-driven, personalized medicine. We are passionate about accelerating that future together with Roche.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. For Roche, the move is yet another in a string of acquisitions. Last week (December 18), Roche paid $489 million for antibody maker Dutalys. And earlier this month, Roche bought prenatal testing company Ariosa Diagnostics.

Reference

http://blog.bina.com/news/bina-technologies-acquired-by-roche?&__hssc=109677338.1.1419953400266&__hstc=109677338.b8350f2729889b08f1325906d5236cd3.1419953400266.1419953400266.1419953400266.1&hsCtaTracking=96cac941-9372-4bbf-bacb-3ca6f1ff8cfd|3fce0f18-835b-4086-9345-388880861732

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/41750/title/Roche-Buys-Bioinformatics-Firm/

A simple tutorial for a complex ComplexHeatmap

Neel — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 06:18:32 -0500

ComplexHeatmap (Gu, Eils, and Schlesner (2016)) is an R Programming Language (R Core Team (2020)) package that is currently listed in the Bioconductor package repository.

install and load required packages

  require(RColorBrewer)
  require(ComplexHeatmap)
  require(circlize)
  require(digest)
  require(cluster)

If all load successfully, proceed to Part 3. Otherwise, go through the following code chunks in order to ensure that each package is installed and loaded properly.

BiocManager (Morgan (2019))

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/kevinblighe/E-MTAB-6141