BOL: Related items

The anatomy of successful computational biology software

Jitendra Narayan — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:53:08 -0500

Creators of software widely used in computational biology discuss the factors that contributed to their success

Nature Biotechnology spoke with Altschul and several other originators of computational biology software programs widely used today (Table 1). The conversations explored what makes certain software tools successful, the unique challenges of developing them for biological research and how the field of computational biology, as a whole, can move research agendas forward. What follows is an edited compilation of interviews.

Detail @ http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v31/n10/full/nbt.2721.html

News Source @ Nature

Mycology Research Resources for Bioinformaticians: Unlocking the Fungal Kingdom

Neel — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:21:45 -0600

Mycology, the study of fungi, is a field that bridges ecology, medicine, and biotechnology. With advancements in bioinformatics, researchers now have unprecedented opportunities to explore the fungal kingdom at molecular, genetic, and ecological levels. From understanding pathogenic fungi to harnessing fungal enzymes for industrial applications, the potential is vast.

To fully leverage these opportunities, bioinformaticians require specialized tools and databases. This blog highlights essential resources for mycology research, focusing on databases, tools, and platforms tailored for fungal biology.

1. Fungal Databases

1.1. MycoCosm

Website: MycoCosm
Developed by the DOE Joint Genome Institute, MycoCosm is a comprehensive portal for fungal genomics. It offers genomic and transcriptomic data for a wide range of fungi, including saprobes, pathogens, and symbionts.

Key Features: Genome browsers, comparative genomics tools, and functional annotations.
Best For: Large-scale studies on fungal evolution and ecology.

1.2. FungiDB

Website: FungiDB
FungiDB is an integrated genomic resource for fungal pathogens and non-pathogens. It provides access to genome sequences, transcriptomic data, and functional annotations.

Key Features: Advanced search options, BLAST, and pathway analysis tools.
Best For: Studying fungal pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.

1.3. Index Fungorum

Website: Index Fungorum
This nomenclatural database provides information on the scientific names of fungi. It’s an essential resource for taxonomists and researchers focused on fungal biodiversity.

Key Features: Taxonomic hierarchy and synonymy tracking.
Best For: Identifying and classifying fungal species.

1.4. UNITE

Website: UNITE
UNITE is a specialized database for fungal ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) sequences, often used in fungal identification and phylogenetics.

Key Features: Curated reference datasets and community annotations.
Best For: Environmental mycology and microbial ecology studies.

2. Analytical Tools

2.1. Funannotate

Repository: GitHub - Funannotate
Funannotate is a genome annotation tool designed for fungi. It supports tasks like gene prediction, functional annotation, and orthology analysis.

Best For: Annotating newly sequenced fungal genomes.

2.2. BUSCO (Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs)

Website: BUSCO
BUSCO evaluates genome assembly and annotation completeness using orthologs. It includes a fungal-specific dataset.

Best For: Assessing the quality of fungal genome assemblies.

2.3. Pathogen-Host Interactions Database (PHI-base)

Website: PHI-base
PHI-base is a manually curated resource containing information on pathogen-host interactions, including fungal pathogens.

Best For: Exploring virulence factors and host-pathogen relationships.

3. Visualization Platforms

3.1. Cytoscape

Website: Cytoscape
A powerful tool for visualizing molecular interaction networks, Cytoscape can be used to study protein-protein interactions, gene networks, and metabolic pathways in fungi.

Best For: Network biology and functional genomics.

3.2. iTOL (Interactive Tree of Life)

Website: iTOL
iTOL is an interactive tool for visualizing phylogenetic trees.

Best For: Displaying fungal phylogenies and comparing evolutionary relationships.

4. Community Resources

4.1. Mycological Society of America (MSA)

Website: MSA
The MSA promotes fungal research and provides access to resources, conferences, and publications.

Best For: Networking with fungal researchers and accessing recent studies.

4.2. OpenFungi

Website: OpenFungi
OpenFungi is an open-source initiative providing fungal genomic and transcriptomic datasets for research and education.

Best For: Sharing and accessing public fungal datasets.

5. Genomics Workflows

5.1. Galaxy

Website: Galaxy Project
Galaxy offers a web-based platform for reproducible bioinformatics workflows, including tools for fungal genome and transcriptome analysis.

Best For: User-friendly analysis pipelines without requiring coding skills.

5.2. Snakemake

Repository: Snakemake
A flexible pipeline management tool that supports fungal data processing and analysis.

Best For: Custom workflows for large-scale fungal datasets.

Conclusion

Fungal research is a rapidly growing field with vast implications for medicine, agriculture, and industry. For bioinformaticians, the availability of specialized resources—databases, tools, and community platforms—opens doors to innovative discoveries. Whether you are investigating fungal genomics, studying host-pathogen interactions, or exploring fungal biodiversity, the resources outlined above will empower your research journey.

Dive into these resources and help unravel the mysteries of the fungal kingdom!

Network Analysis @ Indian Statistical Institute

Wed, 16 Oct 2013 08:06:50 -0500

Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata invites applications for the following posts

2013 Oct Advertisement from Indian Statistical Institute

Post: Network Analysis

No. of Positions: 01

Educational Qualifications:

Candidate should have passed BE/B.Tech Or Equivalent in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering / Electronics / Information Technology / Bioinformatics / Biotechnology with throughout first Class
Experience:

(details of experience required)
Pay Scale: INR Rs.16000-20000/-P.M.

Walk-In-Interview : 22 Oct 2013 at 10:30 AM

Download Official Notification:
http://www.isical.ac.in/JobApplicationFiles/MIU_0310201311433700.pdf

Troyanskaya Lab

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 10:57:40 -0500

In our research, we combine computational methods with an experimental component in a unified effort to develop comprehensive descriptions of genetic systems of cellular controls, including those whose malfunctioning becomes the basis of genetic disorders, such as cancer, and others whose failure might produce developmental defects in model systems.

Research Interest
Genomic Data Integration

Microarray Analysis

Gene and Protein Function Prediction

Detection and Analysis of Chromosomal Abnormalities and Functional Evolution

Integration of Computation and Experiments

Identification of Biological Networks and Pathways

Evaluation and Validation of Computational Predictions

Scalable Visualization-Based Data Analysis

More @ http://reducio.princeton.edu/cm/
PI page @ http://reducio.princeton.edu/cm/ogt

A Bioinformatician’s Lament

LEGE — Thu, 29 May 2025 01:33:31 -0500

"I have a presentation tomorrow," they say,

With hopeful eyes, like it’s all child's play.
As if results bloom overnight, full-grown—
Not wrangled from chaos, and error-prone.

Oh brave soul, sit, let’s walk through the tale,
Of pipelines broken and servers that fail.
The journey starts: “The data? It’s there—
Just fetch it from S3, easy, I swear.”

Now I summon awscli with dread,
Reset my keys, credentials fed.
Configure regions, IAM roles too—
All this, and still no peek at the view.

Next up, the tool: “It’s open source!”
On GitHub, rotting, no sign of remorse.
Python 2.7, some GCC trick—
The install alone might make you sick.

Finally, progress! The pipeline runs…
Till RAM collapses and error stuns.
Oh, and the metadata? A crime,
Merged cells, font soup, out of time.

Sample IDs—what a cryptic game:
Sample_1, S1, sample-1... the same?
Controls mislabeled, cases flipped,
No wonder my sanity's starting to slip.

Then QC plots, PCA joy—
Wait, that’s a tumor labeled as a boy?
Clusters cross, and axes lie,
And I still don’t know which sample’s "guy."

But the clock ticks on, and it’s half-past doom,
They want the final UMAP soon.
With pastel colors, labeled clear—
"Can we move that legend to right here?"

Tweak by tweak, I adjust each frame,
Resize Panel B, annotate a name.
Export the plot—it starts to gleam…
Then my laptop crashes. I scream.

This is the grind, the long-haul game,
Where science hides behind code and flame.
No “Export to Nature” button to press,
Just toil and logic and hope for success.

So next time you whisper that fated line—
“I have a talk, can you make it shine?”
Know: bioinformatics is craft, not a click,
It’s science with scars, not just a quick fix.

To all who debug at 3AM light,
Who ghostwrite figures through sleepless night—
You are the backbone, silent and true,
First-author-worthy, if only they knew.

"कल मेरी प्रेज़ेंटेशन है," वो कहते हैं,

आशा भरी आँखों से, जैसे सब सहज है।
जैसे परिणाम रातोंरात प्रकट हो जाएं—
ना कि डेटा की भूलभुलैया से उखाड़े जाएं।

आओ बैठो, एक किस्सा सुनाता हूँ,
जहाँ पाइपलाइन टूटती है, और सर्वर भी थक जाते हैं।
कहानी शुरू होती है: “डेटा तो है—
बस S3 बकेट में, एकदम पास में कहीं।”

अब awscli बुलाता हूँ डरते हुए,
कुंजी सेट करूँ, क्रेडेंशियल जोड़ूं, रीजन भरूँ।
इतनी मशक्कत, फिर भी डेटा नहीं मिला,
बस सेटअप में ही पूरा दिन चला।

फिर आता है टूल: “ओपन-सोर्स है!”
GitHub पर है, 2019 से सूखा पड़ा है।
Python 2.7 चाहिए, एक पुराना कम्पाइलर,
और साथ में थोड़ी सी दुआ की ताकत।

आख़िरकार टूल चला, खुशी सी हुई,
लेकिन रन करते ही, मेमोरी ने हार मानी।
और मेटाडेटा? एक एक्सेल की आफ़त,
मर्ज़ किए हुए सेल, बस और क्या चाहिए काफ़ियत?

सैंपल आईडी? बस भगवान ही जाने—
Sample_1, sample-1, S1, और control1—
ये सब एक ही सैंपल हैं क्या?
पता तब चलता है जब पूछो दो-तीन बार।

काउंट मैट्रिक्स तैयार, अब R या Python की बारी,
QC करो, PCA प्लॉट—पर कुछ गड़बड़ भारी।
ट्यूमर और नॉर्मल का अदला-बदली खेल,
बार-बार, वही पुरानी झमेल।

आख़िर में आया मॉडलिंग का समय,
स्टैट्स, प्लॉट्स, डिफरेंशियल एक्सप्रेशन का श्रम।
लेकिन घड़ी में 5 बज चुके हैं जनाब,
और 8 बजे तक UMAP चाहिए, साफ़-सुथरा जबाब।

तो मैं कोड लिखता हूँ रात भर बैठ कर,
कलर पैलेट, जीन लेबल, लीजेंड बाहर रख कर।
फ़ॉन्ट, पैनल, एक्सिस सब सुधार,
एक्सपोर्ट करता हूँ... और लैपटॉप कहता है—"अब नहीं यार!"

इसीलिए बायोइन्फॉर्मेटिक्स में लगता है समय,
ये “बस सीरत चलाओ” या “वोल्कैनो प्लॉट बनाओ” नहीं है।
ये है सिस्टम एडमिन का काम, डेटा की सफ़ाई,
QC, डिबगिंग, और सांइस की सच्ची लड़ाई।

तो कुछ सीखें इस व्यथा से आप भी आज:
24 घंटे पहले चमत्कार मत माँगिए।
अच्छे फ़िगर साफ़ डेटा से बनते हैं।
बायोइन्फॉर्मेटिक्स जादू नहीं, विज्ञान है।
समय से बात कीजिए, प्रक्रिया का सम्मान कीजिए।

और उन सभी बायोइन्फॉर्मेटिशियनों को सलाम,
जो दूसरों की प्रेज़ेंटेशन के लिए रातों में जागते हैं—
तुम हो फ़िगर्स के भूत लेखक,
तुम हो बिना नाम के सह-लेखक।
तुम पहले लेखक बनने के हक़दार हो—
और एक लंबी नींद के भी।

Note: Written with the help of AI/LLM Tools !

Assistant Professor in Molecular Synthesis for Drug Discovery and Development @ CBMR, Lucknow

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 06:42:27 -0500

ADVERTISEMENT FOR FACULTY POSITIONS AT CENTRE OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH (CBMR), LUCKNOW

Details of the Positions and Pay Structure:

03 Posts for Assistant Professor in Molecular Synthesis for Drug Discovery and Development

Essential Qualifications and Requirements:

1. PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry with research publications in high quality international journals and first class grade at the preceding degree from recognised University/Institute in India or abroad with consistently good academic record.
2. Three Yrs of Post-doctoral experience in relevant area.
3. Below 35 Yrs of age at the time of application

Desirable Experience: Candidates having strong research background in organic synthesis, total synthesis of structurally complex and medicinally important natural products/drugs related to cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (neurotropically active molecules for Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, dementia etc) and infectious diseases such as malaria, TB etc. will be preferred.

Interested candidates may apply with:

1. Filled up Application Form (download from CBMR Website: http://www.cbmr.res.in) along with the Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae including academic record (Bachelor degree onwards), awards, honours, list of Publications and reprints of 5 best publications.
2. Proposed research plan (max 3-4 pages).
3. Names and address (with valid e-mail and Phone number) of at least 3 academic referees.
4. Online Payment Receipt with transaction reference no. of Rs. 1000/- (USD 100 or equivalent foreign currency) on following details.
Account Number: 30054847814 Name: Director, Centre of Biomedical Research
Bank: STATE BANK OF INDIA, SGPGI Campus Branch, LUCKNOW

IFSC Code: SBIN0007789
MICR No: 22602034

Applications can be sent by registered/speed post or by e-mail to the following address:

The Director,
Centre of Biomedical Research (CBMR),
Sanjay Gandhi PGI Campus,
Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226014
e-mail: cbmr.admin@cbmr.res.in,
gp.pandey@cbmr.res.in

More Info:

http://www.cbmr.res.in/career/Advertisement%20for%20the%20post%20of%20Professors%20and%20Assistant%20Professors.pdf

Courses to Get You Started with Bioinformatics

LEGE — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 13:07:19 -0500

Bioinformatics is now at the heart of modern biology and medicine. From decoding genomes and predicting antimicrobial resistance, to developing personalized medicine and advancing evolutionary research, computational skills are no longer optional — they are essential.

Yet, for many students, biologists, and even computer scientists, the question is: “Where do I begin?” With so many platforms, books, and tutorials available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

To make it easier, I’ve compiled 10 excellent resources — ranging from beginner-friendly introductions to advanced computational genomics courses. Many of these are freely available, created by pioneers in the field, and widely used in classrooms and research labs worldwide.

Whether you are a complete beginner or looking to strengthen your foundations, these courses will help you build the skills needed to analyze biological data, design workflows, and think computationally about complex biological systems.

1. HarvardX Data Analysis for Genomics by Rafael Irizarry

From the almighty Rafa, this set of online courses (via edX/HarvardX) is a classic starting point for genomic data science and bioinformatics.

2. Applied Computational Genomics – Aaron Quinlan

Aaron Quinlan (creator of bedtools and many other tools) has made his course materials open. A practical, tool-driven genomics introduction.

3. Bioinformatics Algorithms (Coursera + Companion Book)

Find the highly visual video classes on Coursera, backed by the popular Bioinformatics Algorithms book.

4. The Biostar Handbook

Not a course per se, but a hands-on manual by Istvan (founder of Biostars.org) that’s even used in classes at Penn State.

5. Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (by Shirley Liu)

A comprehensive introduction from Shirley Liu’s lab (Harvard DFCI). Covers both theory and computational practice.

6. Data Carpentry: Genomics Workshops

Community-driven training workshops that focus on practical, reproducible research. I was honored to serve as curriculum committee chair here.

7. Computational Genomics: Applied Comparative Genomics

From the Schatz Lab — applied comparative genomics with real-world data.

8. Introduction to Computational Biology (Mike Love, creator of DESeq2)

This course bridges statistics, biology, and computation — a solid primer for anyone entering computational biology.

9. MIT Computational Biology (6.047 / 6.878 / HST.507) by Manolis Kellis

Covers genomes, networks, evolution, and health. A deep-dive from MIT’s OpenCourseWare archive.

10. An Introduction to Applied Bioinformatics

An interactive textbook with Python code, designed for practical applied bioinformatics learning.

Junior Bioinformatic position

Wed, 26 Aug 2015 05:35:28 -0500

Junior Bioinformatic position in the laboratory of Inflammation and immunology in cardiovascular pathologies at Humanitas:

We are seeking a highly motivated young PhD student with strong interest in high throughput data analysis.
Detailed descriptions of our recent research activities may be found here:
http://www.humanitas-research.org/condorelli-gianluigi-md-phd/

Position is available starting from October/November. A probationary period of one month will be required.

Please send a CV along with a cover letter stating the reasons for applying and contact details of one or more referees to Dr. Paolo Kunderfranco (paolo.kunderfranco@humanitasresearch.it).

Project Fellow @ National Institute of Malaria Research

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 07:40:51 -0600

National Institute of Malaria Research

Sector 8, Dwarka, Delhi -110077

WALK IN INTERVIEW

One position of project fellow is to be filled up in a DRL- funded research project on Molecular and morphological characterization of An. fluviatilis in North-eastern states and bordering areas. The position is purely temporary for one year and can be extended

Essential qualifications

Master’s degree in any branch of Life Sciences with hands on experience in molecular biology and/or bioinformatics.

Age limit: 28 years, (relaxation for SC/ST/OBC candidates as per government of India rules)

Stipend: Rs.12, 000.00 per month (fixed)

Eligible candidates may walk in for an interview on 15 November 2013 at 11 AM at the above mentioned address along with a copy of CV (with a passport size photograph affixed), photocopies of all mark sheets/certificates and originals (for verifications). No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview .Registration of candidates will start at 10:00AM and end at 10:45 AM.

Advertisement: http://www.mrcindia.org/vacancy/add-4.doc