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	<title><![CDATA[BOL: Related items]]></title>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/related/28870?offset=1340</link>
	<atom:link href="https://bioinformaticsonline.com/related/28870?offset=1340" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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  <guid isPermaLink='true'>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/opportunity/view/44700/professorsenior-lecturer-of-comparative-genomics-university-of-glasgow</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 06 Dec 2024 05:16:09 -0600</pubDate>
  <link></link>
  <title><![CDATA[Professor/Senior Lecturer of Comparative Genomics @ University of Glasgow]]></title>
  <description><![CDATA[
<p>University of Glasgow<br />College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences<br />School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine</p>

<p>Professor/Senior Lecturer of Comparative Genomics<br />Vacancy Ref: 153610<br />Salary: Professor, Grade 10 will be within the Professorial range and<br />subject to negotiation<br />Senior Lecturer, Grade 9, 57,696 - 64,914 per annum</p>

<p>The School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine has an<br />exciting opportunity to appoint a Professor/Senior Lecturer in Comparative<br />Genomics. You will make a substantial and positive contribution to the<br />strategic direction of the School/College through leading and contributing<br />to research of international standard, high quality teaching at both<br />undergraduate and postgraduate level, securing research funding, and<br />providing academic leadership and management within the School/College.</p>

<p>Applications are invited from candidates of international standing with<br />an appropriate record of academic achievement in comparative genomics<br />and associated omics technologies. We are looking for a candidate who<br />will complement our existing strengths in clinical veterinary medicine,<br />evolutionary biology, and animal physiology, with a demonstrable interest<br />in using domestic mammals among their study systems. We are particularly<br />interested in applications from candidates with a track record of<br />studying health related traits and their underlying genomic basis in<br />companion animals. Traits of specific interest include those related<br />to metabolism, ageing, and disease (e.g. cancer, autoimmune diseases,<br />neuromuscular disorders).</p>

<p>The School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine is home to<br />researchers studying organismal biology and animal health across a diverse<br />range of systems, approaches and disciplines with existing strengths<br />in infectious disease, physiology, ageing, veterinary epidemiology, and<br />evolution among others. You will be based on the University of Glasgow's<br />Garscube campus, where the majority of veterinary teaching and research<br />infrastructure is located. This includes the Small Animal Hospital (a<br />recent 15M investment) and our Veterinary Diagnostic Services, offering<br />excellent opportunities for collaborative research at the clinical and<br />translational interface, especially with respect to companion animals.</p>

<p>We welcome applications from candidates with a Scottish Credit and<br />Qualification Framework level 12 (PhD) in animal biology, genomics and<br />health or related discipline with an extensive and established reputation<br />in research and significant teaching experience within the subject area.</p>

<p>This post is full time and open ended.</p>

<p>Visit our website for further information on The University of<br />Glasgow's, School of Biodiversity, One Health &amp; Veterinary Medicine,<br />https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/bohvm/</p>

<p>Informal Enquiries should be directed to Professor Roman Biek,<br />Roman.Biek@glasgow.ac.uk</p>

<p>Apply online at:<br />https://my.corehr.com/pls/uogrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.jobspec?p_id=153610</p>
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  <guid isPermaLink='true'>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/opportunity/view/870/6-phd-students-tu-dresden</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:42:06 -0500</pubDate>
  <link></link>
  <title><![CDATA[6 PhD Students @ TU Dresden]]></title>
  <description><![CDATA[
<p>At TU Dresden, Faculty of Computer Science, the DFG Research Training Group GRK 1907 “Role-based Software Infrastructures for continuous-context-sensitive Systems” offers the positions of 6 PhD Students (E 13 TV-L)</p>

<p>for applicants interested in performing high-quality research on the connection between software engineering, database systems, and theoretical computer science as well as their applications in bioinformatics and business informatics. The research programme will start on October 1, 2013 until 30.09.2016. The period of employment is governed by the Fixed Term Research Contracts Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz – WissZeitVG).</p>

<p>This research programme is a joint activity of Professors Lehner, Assmann, Baader, Baier, Schill, Schlegel, Schroeder, and Strahringer at TU Dresden. Alongside their research, an individual mentoring and qualification approach are arranged with specialized courses that prepare them optimally for their research, a research seminar where they can meet internationally renowned researchers in the field, and soft skills and language courses.</p>

<p>Requirements: Applicants should have an excellent academic record, and hold a MSc (or an equivalent university degree) in computer science or related disciplines (such as mathematics, bioinformatics or business informatics). Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Applicants with a good knowledge of software engineering or one of the application areas mentioned above are preferred. TU Dresden is committed to increase the proportion of women in research.</p>

<p>Applications from women are particularly welcome. The same applies to disabled people.</p>

<p>Please send enquiries to: wolfgang.lehner@tu-dresden.de</p>

<p>Applications consist of a CV, the names of two referees, transcipts of documents summarizing their academic performance, and a statement of interest. Application by email in pdf format is preferred, and should be submitted to wolfgang.lehner@tu-dresden.de in an electronically signed and encrypted form by July 30, 2013 (stamped arrival date of the university central mail service applies). Alternatively, applications can be sent to: TU Dresden, Fakultät Informatik, Institut für Systemarchitektur, Prof.  Dr.-Ing.  Wolfgang Lehner, 01062 Dresden, Germany.</p>

<p>Shortlisted candidates will be invited to Dresden in the middle of August to give a presentation on their Master’s thesis and discuss their research interest with the participating professors. Candidates that have not yet finished their degree when they send in their application should send preliminary transcripts of their academic records as well as a letter by the thesis adviser that comments on their progress so far and on the expected date of completion of their MSc or equivalent degree.</p>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44716/exploring-rna-sequence-analysis-tools-for-every-bioinformatician</guid>
	<pubDate>Fri, 13 Dec 2024 04:03:04 -0600</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44716/exploring-rna-sequence-analysis-tools-for-every-bioinformatician</link>
	<title><![CDATA[Exploring RNA Sequence Analysis: Tools for Every Bioinformatician]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>RNA sequence analysis has become an essential part of modern biological research. From RNA-seq pipelines to specialized tools for specific RNA types, here's a comprehensive guide to tools you can use to make sense of RNA data.</p><h4><strong>1. RNA-Seq Analysis Pipelines</strong></h4><p>RNA-seq is one of the most popular techniques for studying RNA. These tools streamline processing raw sequence data:</p><ul>
<li><strong>FASTQC</strong>: For quality control of raw RNA-seq reads.</li>
<li><strong>Trimmomatic</strong>: For trimming and filtering RNA-seq reads.</li>
<li><strong>HISAT2/STAR</strong>: High-performance aligners for RNA-seq reads.</li>
<li><strong>FeatureCounts</strong>: For quantifying gene expression.</li>
<li><strong>DESeq2/EdgeR</strong>: For differential expression analysis.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>2. Transcriptome Assembly and Annotation</strong></h4><p>For analyzing transcriptomes from non-model organisms or assembling novel transcripts:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Trinity</strong>: For de novo transcriptome assembly.</li>
<li><strong>StringTie</strong>: For transcript assembly and quantification from RNA-seq alignments.</li>
<li><strong>TransDecoder</strong>: To predict coding regions within assembled transcripts.</li>
<li><strong>TAU</strong>: Tools for annotating non-coding and coding RNAs.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>3. Exploring Non-Coding RNA (ncRNA)</strong></h4><p>Non-coding RNAs play critical regulatory roles. Dedicated tools for studying them include:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Infernal</strong>: For identifying ncRNA sequences based on covariance models.</li>
<li><strong>Rfam</strong>: Database and tools for ncRNA families.</li>
<li><strong>miRDeep</strong>: For identifying microRNAs in RNA-seq datasets.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>4. RNA Structure and Motif Analysis</strong></h4><p>Structural biology of RNA helps in understanding its function:</p><ul>
<li><strong>RNAfold (ViennaRNA)</strong>: Predicts secondary structures from RNA sequences.</li>
<li><strong>RNAstructure</strong>: Tools for RNA secondary structure prediction and analysis.</li>
<li><strong>MEME Suite</strong>: For identifying motifs in RNA sequences.</li>
<li><strong>IntaRNA</strong>: For RNA-RNA interaction prediction.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>5. RNA Editing and Modifications</strong></h4><p>Epitranscriptomics is a growing field focusing on RNA modifications:</p><ul>
<li><strong>REDItools</strong>: For RNA editing analysis.</li>
<li><strong>m6Aboost</strong>: For identifying m6A modifications in RNA.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>6. Long-Read RNA Sequencing Analysis</strong></h4><p>Long-read technologies like Nanopore and PacBio are transforming RNA research:</p><ul>
<li><strong>FLAIR</strong>: For isoform-level analysis of long-read RNA-seq data.</li>
<li><strong>NanoMod</strong>: For detecting modifications in RNA from Nanopore sequencing.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>7. RNA-Protein Interactions</strong></h4><p>To study RNA-protein interactions and complexes:</p><ul>
<li><strong>RBPmap</strong>: For identifying RNA-binding protein motifs.</li>
<li><strong>PARalyzer</strong>: For analyzing PAR-CLIP data.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>8. Functional Enrichment Analysis</strong></h4><p>Understanding biological functions and pathways from RNA-seq data:</p><ul>
<li><strong>getENRICH</strong>: A tool designed for pathway enrichment analysis of non-model organisms (hypergeometric P-value calculation with FDR correction).</li>
<li><strong>ClusterProfiler</strong>: For GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>9. Visualization and Data Sharing</strong></h4><p>Presenting and sharing RNA sequence analysis results effectively:</p><ul>
<li><strong>IGV</strong>: Genome browser for visualizing RNA-seq alignments.</li>
<li><strong>Circos</strong>: Circular visualization of RNA-seq data.</li>
<li><strong>DashBio</strong>: A Python library for creating bioinformatics visualizations.</li>
</ul><h4><strong>Conclusion</strong></h4><p>The bioinformatics landscape for RNA sequence analysis is vast, with tools catering to specific needs. Whether you&rsquo;re studying coding RNAs, non-coding RNAs, or exploring RNA-protein interactions, the right tools can transform your data into biological insights.</p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>Neel</dc:creator>
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  <guid isPermaLink='true'>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/opportunity/view/871/postdoctoral-position-in-bioinformatics-sweden</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:49:57 -0500</pubDate>
  <link></link>
  <title><![CDATA[Postdoctoral position in bioinformatics @ Sweden]]></title>
  <description><![CDATA[
<p>Information about the department<br />The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg has about 170 faculty and staff and is the largest department of mathematical sciences in the Nordic countries. The department belongs to both Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg (for more information see http://www.chalmers.se/math/).</p>

<p>Job description<br />We are looking for a motivated, self-driven post-doctoral researcher to work with large-scale sequence data analysis. The position is for 24 months and located at Mathematical Statistics, Department of Mathematical Sciences in Erik Kristiansson’s research group. We are focused on methods development for and analysis of next generation DNA sequencing, in particular comparative metagenomics and gene expression analysis (RNA-seq). We have strong interdisciplinary profile and are actively collaborating with several experimental groups, especially within the environmental sciences, ecology, infectious diseases and cancer genomics. More information is available at http://bioinformatics.math.chalmers.se.</p>

<p>The Post-doctoral position is an appointment that offers an opportunity to qualify for further research positions within academia or industry. The majority of your working time is devoted to your own research, normally as a member of a research group. Included in your work is also to take part in supervision of Ph.D. students and M.Sc thesis students. Teaching of undergraduate students may also be included to a small extent.</p>

<p>The employment is limited to a maximum of 2 years (1+1).</p>

<p>Qualifications<br />The applicant should have Ph.D. degree preferably in bioinformatics, mathematics, statistics, computer science or equivalent by the start of the appointment. Experience from analysis of large-scale data, in particular from next generation DNA sequencing, is highly valued. The applicant should also be proficient in programming (e.g. Python/Java/C) and comfortable with Unix/Linux systems. Interaction with experimental biologists is central and good collaborative skills are therefore important. Fluency in written and spoken English is a strong requirement. As a post-doctoral researcher you are expected to work independently and to be able to supervise/co-supervise PhD and Master’s students.</p>

<p>Application procedure<br />The application should be marked with Ref 20130126 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically via Chalmers webpage.</p>

<p>Application deadline: September 8, 2013.</p>

<p>For questions, please contact: <br />Ass prof. Erik Kristiansson, Matematiska Vetenskaper, erik.kristiansson@chalmers.se, +46 31-772 3521, +46 70-5259751.</p>

<p>Chalmers continuously strive to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.</p>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44746/cracking-the-code-a-guide-to-bioinformatics-job-hunting</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:36:41 -0600</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44746/cracking-the-code-a-guide-to-bioinformatics-job-hunting</link>
	<title><![CDATA[Cracking the Code: A Guide to Bioinformatics Job Hunting]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>Entering the world of bioinformatics is an exciting journey, filled with opportunities to combine biology, data science, and technology to address some of the most pressing scientific challenges. However, securing a position in this competitive field can be daunting, especially for newcomers. Here&rsquo;s a guide to help you navigate the job-hunting process and land your dream role in bioinformatics.</p><h4>1. <strong>Understand the Landscape</strong></h4><p>Before diving into applications, take the time to understand the bioinformatics job market. Common roles include:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Bioinformatics Analyst/Scientist:</strong> Focused on data analysis and interpretation.</li>
<li><strong>Computational Biologist:</strong> Combines computational techniques with biological research.</li>
<li><strong>Data Scientist in Genomics:</strong> Applies machine learning and statistical models to genomic data.</li>
<li><strong>Software Developer in Bioinformatics:</strong> Designs and develops tools and pipelines for biological research.</li>
</ul><p>Familiarize yourself with the key industries hiring bioinformaticians, such as academia, biotech, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and agriculture.</p><h4>2. <strong>Build a Strong Foundation</strong></h4><p>Bioinformatics demands a diverse skill set. Ensure you have a solid foundation in the following areas:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Programming Skills:</strong> Proficiency in Python, R, or Perl is often required. Familiarity with tools like Bash scripting and version control systems (e.g., Git) is a plus.</li>
<li><strong>Statistics and Data Analysis:</strong> Knowledge of statistical methods, machine learning, and data visualization is crucial.</li>
<li><strong>Biological Knowledge:</strong> Understanding genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics will help you communicate effectively with biologists.</li>
<li><strong>Specialized Tools and Databases:</strong> Be comfortable using tools like BLAST, Bowtie, and databases like NCBI and Ensembl.</li>
</ul><h4>3. <strong>Create a Winning Resume and Portfolio</strong></h4><p>Highlight your technical skills, biological knowledge, and relevant experience. Tips for a standout application:</p><ul>
<li>Tailor your resume to each job, emphasizing skills mentioned in the job description.</li>
<li>Showcase your experience with real-world datasets by linking to your GitHub profile or online portfolio.</li>
<li>Include details of any publications, presentations, or significant projects.</li>
</ul><h4>4. <strong>Network Actively</strong></h4><p>Networking is often the key to discovering opportunities. Here&rsquo;s how to build connections:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Attend Conferences and Workshops:</strong> Events like ISMB or specialized bioinformatics workshops are great for meeting professionals.</li>
<li><strong>Engage Online:</strong> Join LinkedIn groups, participate in bioinformatics forums, and follow relevant hashtags on Twitter.</li>
<li><strong>Leverage Alumni Networks:</strong> Connect with alumni from your university who are working in the field.</li>
</ul><h4>5. <strong>Gain Relevant Experience</strong></h4><p>Experience is a major factor for hiring managers. Ways to enhance your profile include:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Internships:</strong> Seek out internships in research labs or biotech companies.</li>
<li><strong>Collaborations:</strong> Volunteer to work on projects with professors or peers.</li>
<li><strong>Open Source Contributions:</strong> Participate in bioinformatics software development on platforms like GitHub.</li>
</ul><h4>6. <strong>Prepare for Interviews</strong></h4><p>Bioinformatics interviews often combine technical and behavioral questions. Prepare by:</p><ul>
<li><strong>Reviewing Key Concepts:</strong> Refresh your knowledge of algorithms, sequence analysis, and statistical methods.</li>
<li><strong>Practicing Coding:</strong> Be ready to solve coding challenges or discuss code snippets.</li>
<li><strong>Understanding the Organization:</strong> Research their recent projects, publications, or products.</li>
<li><strong>Preparing Questions:</strong> Demonstrate interest by asking about their tools, workflows, or team structure.</li>
</ul><h4>7. <strong>Stay Resilient and Persistent</strong></h4><p>Job hunting can be a long process, but persistence pays off. Tips to keep moving forward:</p><ul>
<li>Keep improving your skills by taking online courses or certifications.</li>
<li>Stay updated with advancements in bioinformatics by following journals and blogs.</li>
<li>Apply to multiple positions and don&rsquo;t get discouraged by rejections. Each application is a learning experience.</li>
</ul><h3>Closing Thoughts</h3><p>Landing a bioinformatics job requires a mix of technical expertise, networking, and resilience. By understanding the market, showcasing your skills effectively, and continuously learning, you&rsquo;ll be well on your way to a rewarding career in this dynamic field. Remember, the key to cracking the code is perseverance&mdash;stay curious, stay determined, and success will follow.</p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>Abhi</dc:creator>
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  <guid isPermaLink='true'>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/opportunity/view/6420/studentship-and-traineeship-university-of-madras</guid>
  <pubDate>Sat, 16 Nov 2013 19:27:40 -0600</pubDate>
  <link></link>
  <title><![CDATA[STUDENTSHIP and TRAINEESHIP @ University of Madras]]></title>
  <description><![CDATA[
<p>Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility<br />University of Madras<br />Chennai 600 025</p>

<p>Applications are invited for the STUDENTSHIP and TRAINEESHIP vacancies to carry out project/research work in the DBT - Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility with consolidated stipend of Rs.5,000/- per month.</p>

<p>Essential Qualification</p>

<p>Student Trainee: Those who have completed M.Sc., Bioinformatics/Biophysics/Life sciences or Pursuing M.Tech., Bioinformatics/Biotechnology</p>

<p>Duration : 3-4 Months</p>

<p>Student Trainee: Those who are pursuing M.Sc Bioinformatics/Biophysics/ Life sciences/others</p>

<p>Duration : 2-3 Months</p>

<p>Mail your CV on or before 25th November 2013 to shirai2011@gmail.com and hard copy to "Dr. D. Velmurugan, Professor &amp; Head, CAS in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025". Also, the applicants are requested to attend the interview on 29th November, 2013 at 11 A.M.</p>

<p>Advertisement:</p>

<p>www.unom.ac.in/uploads/announcements/bifadvertisement_20131114080003_23240.pdf</p>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44852/what-is-data-science-%E2%80%94-a-bioinformatics-perspective</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jun 2025 01:44:34 -0500</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44852/what-is-data-science-%E2%80%94-a-bioinformatics-perspective</link>
	<title><![CDATA[What is Data Science? — A Bioinformatics Perspective]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>In today&rsquo;s era of big biology, we&rsquo;re generating more data than ever before&mdash;genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, metabolomes, microbiomes&hellip; you name it. But raw biological data doesn&rsquo;t speak for itself. Making sense of it requires more than traditional biology. This is where data science steps in.</p><p><strong>So, What Is Data Science?</strong><br />At its core, data science is the interdisciplinary field that extracts knowledge and insights from data using programming, statistics, and domain expertise. In bioinformatics, data science enables us to turn gigabytes of sequence data into biological meaning.</p><p>Imagine trying to understand gene regulation in cancer by analyzing thousands of RNA-seq samples, or predicting antibiotic resistance from bacterial genomes&mdash;these challenges are not solvable through wet lab experiments alone. They require data-driven thinking.</p><p><strong>Data Science Meets Bioinformatics</strong><br />Bioinformatics is inherently a data science domain. From genomics to systems biology, every field in modern biology relies on data science techniques to:</p><p>Clean and process massive datasets</p><p>Discover patterns in high-dimensional data</p><p>Build predictive models (e.g., for disease classification)</p><p>Visualize complex biological networks and trends</p><p>Integrate diverse data types (e.g., transcriptomic + epigenomic data)</p><p><strong>The Bioinformatics Toolkit</strong><br />Here&rsquo;s what data science typically looks like in bioinformatics:</p><p>Task Data Science Role<br />Sequence alignment Efficient algorithms, indexing, parallel processing<br />Gene expression analysis Statistical modeling (e.g., DESeq2, limma)<br />Variant calling Data filtering, probabilistic models<br />Clustering of cells in single-cell data Unsupervised learning<br />Protein structure prediction Deep learning models (e.g., AlphaFold)<br />Metagenomics Data integration, classification, dimensionality reduction</p><p>Common tools include Python, R, Bioconductor, scikit-learn, Pandas, Seurat, and TensorFlow&mdash;often working together in reproducible workflows.</p><p><strong>It's Not Just About Coding</strong><br />A common misconception is that bioinformatics is just programming or scripting. But being a data scientist in bioinformatics also means:</p><p>Understanding experimental design</p><p>Asking biologically meaningful questions</p><p>Choosing the right statistical or machine learning models</p><p>Communicating findings effectively (e.g., plots, dashboards, papers)</p><p>In other words, data science in bioinformatics is where biology, statistics, and computer science converge.</p><p><strong>Why It Matters</strong><br />The real power of data science in bioinformatics is its ability to scale discovery.</p><p>Instead of studying one gene, we can study thousands.</p><p>Instead of analyzing one species, we can explore entire ecosystems.</p><p>Instead of waiting months for lab results, we can generate hypotheses in days.</p><p>From personalized medicine and cancer diagnostics to agricultural genomics and pandemic surveillance, data science is at the heart of the bioinformatics revolution.</p><p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong><br />If you&rsquo;re a biologist who&rsquo;s curious about code, or a data enthusiast fascinated by life sciences, bioinformatics is your playground&mdash;and data science is your toolkit.</p><p>In bioinformatics, data science isn&rsquo;t just useful. It&rsquo;s essential.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>Abhi</dc:creator>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/pages/view/918/data-mining-in-bioinformatics</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jul 2013 03:21:28 -0500</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/pages/view/918/data-mining-in-bioinformatics</link>
	<title><![CDATA[Data Mining in Bioinformatics]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>Data mining, the extraction of hidden predictive information from large databases. Data mining is becoming an increasingly important tool to transform this data into information. It is commonly used in a wide range of profiling practices, such as marketing, surveillance, fraud detection and scientific discovery. Data Mining for Bioinformatics enables researchers to meet the challenge of mining vast amounts of biomolecular data to discover real knowledge. In other words, you&rsquo;re a bioinformatician, and data has been dumped in your lap. Find the patterns, trend, answers, or what ever meaningful knowledge the data is hiding. They scour databases for hidden patterns, finding predictive information that experts may miss because it lies outside their expectations.This page Covering theory, algorithms, and methodologies, as well as data mining technologies. Unfortunately life is never simple. In molecular biology, it&rsquo;s becoming more common to generate reams of data then ask someone in bioinformatics to produce an answer. This is exploratory data analysis, one of the most difficult things to do well. Especially if you&rsquo;re thrown in at the deep end.</p><p><strong>Data mining commonly involves four classes of tasks:</strong></p><ul>
<li>Classification - Arranges the data into predefined groups. For example, an email program might attempt to classify an email as legitimate or spam. Common algorithms include decision tree learning, nearest neighbor, naive Bayesian classification and neural networks.</li>
<li>Clustering - Is like classification but the groups are not predefined, so the algorithm will try to group similar items together.</li>
<li>Regression - Attempts to find a function which models the data with the least error.</li>
<li>Association rule learning - Searches for relationships between variables. For example a supermarket might gather data on customer purchasing habits. Using association rule learning, the supermarket can determine which products are frequently bought together and use this information for marketing purposes. This is sometimes referred to as market basket analysis.</li>
<li>From experience, I can say that is one of the most frustrating positions to be in. Data mining is a huge field and can easily be bewildering for a beginner. However, high through-put techniques in molecular biology require, more and more, that bioinformatics is required to interpret the data. Furthermore, people working in bioinformatics generally come from computer science, or biology backgrounds. Data mining, however, involves statistics to one degree or another, which means entering a field that is may not be your strong point.</li>
<li>Excel is fine for creating graphs. If you&rsquo;re serious about data mining though, you&rsquo;ll need something more heavy weight. I use R, free, and with good data mining packages such as vegan and labdsv. For beginners R can be impenetrable, I recommend this book an introduction to R as well as the underlying statistics.</li>
<li>Any of us can rush head on into a land of support vector machines, hidden markov models and neural networks. But coming back to the first point, what are you trying to prove? Always question what are you doing, how does it fit in to the wider picture? Try to regularly review, and keep track of where you are going? This will prevent you from falling into data mining despair.</li>
</ul><p><strong>Data Mining Resources on the net:</strong><br /><br />A laboratory of data mining and bioinformatics is headed by Prof. Ambuj Singh. There are currently seven graduate students in the research group. Our research focuses on image informatics and scalable querying and mining of graphs.For more detail visit:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~dbl/">http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~dbl/</a></p><p>Here are the materials (Lecture notes) from several past courses on data mining and/or Web mining by Stanford: For detail visit:&nbsp;<a href="http://infolab.stanford.edu/~ullman/mining/mining.html">http://infolab.stanford.edu/~ullman/mining/mining.html</a><br />Statistical Data Mining Tutorial Slides by Andrew Moore The following links point to a set of tutorials on many aspects of statistical data mining, including the foundations of probability, the foundations of statistical data analysis, and most of the classic machine learning and data mining algorithms. For detail visit:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autonlab.org/tutorials/">http://www.autonlab.org/tutorials/</a></p><p>A tutorial on Introduction to Data Mining for Discovering hidden value in your data warehouse:<a href="http://www.thearling.com/text/dmwhite/dmwhite.htm">http://www.thearling.com/text/dmwhite/dmwhite.htm</a>&nbsp;<br />Wiki Links:&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_mining">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_mining</a><br />Bioinformatics with Clementine&nbsp;<a href="http://www.spss.ch/upload/1051192224_inseratClemBio.pdf">http://www.spss.ch/upload/1051192224_inseratClemBio.pdf</a>&nbsp;<br />Causal Data Mining in Bioinformatics by Ioannis Tsamardinos:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forth.gr/ics/bmi/In_the_News/2007/EN69-4.pdf">http://www.forth.gr/ics/bmi/In_the_News/2007/EN69-4.pdf</a></p><p>Report on ACM Text Mining in Bioinformatics (TMBIO 006)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sigir.org/forum/2007J/2007j_sigirforum_song.pdf">http://www.sigir.org/forum/2007J/2007j_sigirforum_song.pdf</a>&nbsp;<br />BIOKDD 2002: Recent Advances in Data Mining for&nbsp;<br />Bioinformatics:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/zaki.pdf">http://www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/zaki.pdf</a></p><p><strong>Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics:</strong>&nbsp;<br /><br />Tools for Mining and Applying Genetic Information in Patient Care:<a href="http://www.biomedtechalliance.org/pdfs/03_03_05/03_03_05.pdf">http://www.biomedtechalliance.org/pdfs/03_03_05/03_03_05.pdf</a></p><p>DATA MINING OF MICROARRAY DATABASES FOR HUMAN LUNG CANCER:&nbsp;<a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.106.385&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf">http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.106.385&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf</a></p><p>Towards knowledge-based gene expression data mining:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ailab.si/blaz/papers/2007-JBI-BellazziZupan.pdf">http://www.ailab.si/blaz/papers/2007-JBI-BellazziZupan.pdf</a></p><p>DRAFT Accepted for publication in 'Data Mining in Bioinformatics'<br />Jason Wang, Mohammed Zaki, Hannu Toivonen, and Dennis Shasha (Eds.), Springer:<a href="http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/htoivone/pubs/gene_mapping_by_pattern_discovery.pdf">http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/htoivone/pubs/gene_mapping_by_pattern_discovery.pdf</a></p><p>Data Mining and Text Mining for Bioinformatics: Proceedings of the European Workshop:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rok.informatik.hu-berlin.de/wbi/research/publications/2003/proceedings_ws_mining.pdf">http://www.rok.informatik.hu-berlin.de/wbi/research/publications/2003/proceedings_ws_mining.pdf</a></p><p><strong>Biological Network Analysis:<br /></strong><br />Graph Mining in Bioinformatics:&nbsp;<a href="http://agbs.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/wikis/bg/BNA-5.pdf">http://agbs.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/wikis/bg/BNA-5.pdf</a>.</p><p>Text mining in bioinformatics:&nbsp;<a href="http://agbs.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/wikis/bg/4.pdf">http://agbs.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/wikis/bg/4.pdf</a></p><p>Some datamining books that are available on google books:</p><p>Data mining and bioinformatics: first international workshop, VDMB 2006 By Mehmet M. Dalkilic</p><p>Data mining: concepts and techniques By Jiawei Han, Micheline Kamber</p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>Jitendra Narayan</dc:creator>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44914/predicting-pathogen-virulence-using-bioinformatics-tools</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 07:55:53 -0600</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/blog/view/44914/predicting-pathogen-virulence-using-bioinformatics-tools</link>
	<title><![CDATA[Predicting Pathogen Virulence Using Bioinformatics Tools]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>In the genomic era, the ability to predict the virulence potential of pathogens has become an indispensable part of infectious disease research. With the exponential growth of microbial genome data, bioinformatics tools now enable scientists to identify virulence factors, model pathogen behavior, and even forecast outbreak risks &mdash; all from sequence data.</p><p>In an age where pathogens continue to evolve and cross boundaries, understanding <strong>what makes them virulent</strong>&mdash;that is, capable of causing disease&mdash;has become a critical focus in modern microbiology and genomics. <strong>Virulence prediction</strong> bridges computational biology, genomics, and machine learning to forecast the pathogenic potential of microbes before they strike.</p><h3>What Is Virulence?</h3><p><em>Virulence</em> refers to the degree of damage a pathogen can inflict on its host. It is determined by a combination of genetic factors&mdash;called <strong>virulence factors (VFs)</strong>&mdash;that allow the organism to attach, invade, evade, and harm the host. These include genes coding for toxins, secretion systems, adhesins, and enzymes that disrupt host defenses.</p><p>Understanding virulence factors not only helps in deciphering the mechanisms of infection but also provides early warning signs for emerging threats.</p><h3>Why Predict Virulence?</h3><p>Traditional virulence studies relied heavily on experimental infection models, which, although accurate, are <strong>time-consuming, expensive, and ethically constrained</strong>.<br /> Today, the availability of whole-genome sequences and large-scale pathogen databases has paved the way for <strong>in silico virulence prediction</strong>&mdash;a computational approach that can screen thousands of genomes within hours.</p><p>This approach enables researchers to:</p><ul>
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<p>Rapidly identify potential <strong>high-risk strains</strong>.</p>
</li>
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<p>Prioritize pathogens for <strong>containment, surveillance, or further study</strong>.</p>
</li>
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<p>Guide <strong>vaccine development</strong> and <strong>drug target discovery</strong>.</p>
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<p>Support <strong>One Health frameworks</strong>, linking animal, human, and environmental health data.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>How Is Virulence Predicted?</h3><p>Virulence prediction combines <strong>bioinformatics pipelines</strong> with <strong>machine learning</strong> and <strong>comparative genomics</strong>. The process generally involves:</p><ol>
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<p><strong>Genome Annotation:</strong> Identifying genes and coding sequences in microbial genomes.</p>
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<p><strong>Feature Extraction:</strong> Comparing sequences with curated databases like <strong>VFDB (Virulence Factor Database)</strong>, <strong>PATRIC</strong>, or <strong>Victors</strong>.</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>Pattern Recognition:</strong> Using algorithms (e.g., Random Forest, SVM, or deep learning models) to classify genes or strains as virulent or non-virulent based on sequence patterns, motifs, and protein domains.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Scoring and Visualization:</strong> Assigning a virulence score or confidence level and visualizing it through heatmaps or genome maps.</p>
</li>
</ol><h3>Tools and Resources for Virulence Prediction</h3><p>A number of tools and databases make virulence prediction accessible to the scientific community:</p><ul>
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<p><strong>VFanalyzer</strong> &ndash; For identifying virulence genes based on VFDB.</p>
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<p><strong>PathoFact</strong> &ndash; Predicts virulence, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and toxin genes from metagenomic data.</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>Pangenome-based models</strong> &ndash; Identify virulence-associated gene clusters across strains.</p>
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<p><strong>Machine learning models</strong> &ndash; Use features like GC content, codon usage bias, or protein domains to predict pathogenicity.</p>
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</ul><p>Emerging tools now integrate <strong>multi-omic data</strong>&mdash;including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics&mdash;to understand virulence in a systems biology framework.</p><h3>Applications in the Real World</h3><p>Virulence prediction has major implications across public health and research sectors:</p><ul>
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<p><strong>Epidemic preparedness:</strong> Early identification of virulent strains in outbreak samples.</p>
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<p><strong>AMR surveillance:</strong> Linking virulence profiles with antibiotic resistance determinants.</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>Environmental monitoring:</strong> Predicting pathogenic potential of soil or waterborne microbes.</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>Clinical diagnostics:</strong> Supporting personalized treatment through pathogen profiling.</p>
</li>
</ul><p>For instance, integrating virulence prediction pipelines into <strong>national surveillance networks</strong> could enable faster risk assessment and response to infectious outbreaks.</p><h3>The Road Ahead</h3><p>As machine learning and genomics advance, virulence prediction will evolve from simple gene-based detection to <strong>dynamic, context-aware models</strong> that account for host&ndash;pathogen interactions, environmental signals, and evolutionary adaptation.</p><p>Future tools may predict <strong>not just if a strain is virulent</strong>, but <strong>under what conditions</strong> it expresses that virulence&mdash;bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype.</p><h3>In Summary</h3><p>Virulence prediction is redefining how we understand and anticipate infectious diseases. By coupling <strong>genomic insights</strong> with <strong>computational intelligence</strong>, researchers can identify potential threats earlier, design smarter interventions, and ultimately, strengthen our preparedness against emerging pathogens.</p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>BioStar</dc:creator>
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	<guid isPermaLink="true">https://bioinformaticsonline.com/pages/view/1161/genomics-for-bioinformatician</guid>
	<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jul 2013 07:03:00 -0500</pubDate>
	<link>https://bioinformaticsonline.com/pages/view/1161/genomics-for-bioinformatician</link>
	<title><![CDATA[Genomics for Bioinformatician]]></title>
	<description><![CDATA[<p>Genomics is the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis, epistasis, pleiotropy and other interactions between loci and alleles within the genome. In contrast, the investigation of the roles and functions of single genes is a primary focus of molecular biology or genetics and is a common topic of modern medical and biological research. Research of single genes does not fall into the definition of genomics unless the aim of this genetic, pathway, and functional information analysis is to elucidate its effect on, place in, and response to the entire genome's networks.<br /><br />Genomics was established by Fred Sanger when he first sequenced the complete genomes of a virus and a mitochondrion. His group established techniques of sequencing, genome mapping, data storage, and bioinformatic analyses in the 1970-1980s. A major branch of genomics is still concerned with sequencing the genomes of various organisms, but the knowledge of full genomes has created the possibility for the field of functional genomics, mainly concerned with patterns of gene expression during various conditions. The most important tools here are microarrays and bioinformatics. Study of the full set of proteins in a cell type or tissue, and the changes during various conditions, is called proteomics. A related concept is materiomics, which is defined as the study of the material properties of biological materials (e.g. hierarchical protein structures and materials, mineralized biological tissues, etc.) and their effect on the macroscopic function and failure in their biological context, linking processes, structure and properties at multiple scales through a materials science approach. The actual term 'genomics' is thought to have been coined by Dr. Tom Roderick, a geneticist at the Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME) over beer at a meeting held in Maryland on the mapping of the human genome in 1986.<br /><br />The outcome of almost two years of intense discussions with literally hundreds of scientists and members of the public, has three major areas of focus: Genomics to Biology, Genomics to Health, and Genomics to Society.<br /><br /><strong><em>Genomics to Biology:</em></strong>&nbsp;<br />The human genome sequence provides foundational information that now will allow development of a comprehensive catalog of all of the genome's components, determination of the function of all human genes, and deciphering of how genes and proteins work together in pathways and networks.<br /><br /><strong><em>Genomics to Health:<br /></em></strong>Completion of the human genome sequence offers a unique opportunity to understand the role of genetic factors in health and disease, and to apply that understanding rapidly to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This opportunity will be realized through such genomics-based approaches as identification of genes and pathways and determining how they interact with environmental factors in health and disease, more precise prediction of disease susceptibility and drug response, early detection of illness, and development of entirely new therapeutic approaches.<br /><br /><strong><em>Genomics to Society:</em>&nbsp;<br /></strong>Just as the HGP has spawned new areas of research in basic biology and in health, it has created new opportunities in exploring the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of such work. These include defining policy options regarding the use of genomic information in both medical and non-medical settings and analysis of the impact of genomics on such concepts as race, ethnicity, kinship, individual and group identity, health, disease, and "normality" for traits and behaviors.<br /><br />This vision for the future of genomics is not just about the NHGRI. It encompasses the whole field of genomics, including the work of all the other Institutes and Centers at the NIH and of a number of other federal agencies. All of the NIH Institutes are already taking full advantage of the sequence and will apply its data to the better understanding of both rare and common diseases, almost all of which have a genetic component. A recent example of the way that the HGP and the knowledge and new technologies it has spawned are already facilitating science is the extremely rapid sequencing by groups in Canada and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta of the genome of the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The sequencing of the SARS virus genome provides insight into this new and deadly disease at a speed never before possible in science. In turn, this should lead to the rapid development of diagnostic tests and, in time, vaccines and effective treatments.<br /><br /><strong>Links for the addition material available on Net</strong></p><p><a href="http://pevsnerlab.kennedykrieger.org/bioinformatics/bioinf10_genomes.htm">Genomes and genomics:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.123genomics.com/learning.html">Bioinformatics and Genomics:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/docs/roadshow_tutorial/strgenomics/tutorial.html">Structural genomics tutorial:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.hgu.mrc.ac.uk/Users/Philippe.Gautier/tutorial/index.html">Comparative Genomics Tutorial:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.scfbio-iitd.res.in/tutorial/genomics.html">GENOME TUTORIAL:</a></p><p><a href="http://genomebiology.com/content/pdf/gb-2001-3-1-reviews2001.pdf">Tools and resources for identifying protein families, domains and motifs</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/tools.shtml">Bioinformatics Tools</a><a href="http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/tools.shtml">&nbsp;<br />Tips, Tutorials, and Terminology for Using Selected Resources in Genome Database Guide:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.doe-mbi.ucla.edu/Reprints/R31%20Strong%20A%20Web-based%20Comparative%20Genomics%20tutorial%20Microbiology%20Eduction%202004.pdf">A Web-Based Comparative Genomics Tutorial for Investigating Microbial Genomes:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.genome.gov/27530225">Free Online Tutorials Teach Anyone How to Use Genome Databases:</a></p><p><a href="http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/circos/?tutorials">Circos to create concise, explanatory, unique and print-ready visualizations of your data:</a></p><p><a href="http://www.igd.cornell.edu/Comparative%20Genomics/Comparative%20Genomics%20Proj.html">Genomics and Comparative Genomics</a><a href="http://www.igd.cornell.edu/Comparative%20Genomics/Comparative%20Genomics%20Proj.html">&nbsp;Learning Module:</a></p><p><a href="http://psb.stanford.edu/psb10/conference-materials/tutorials/compgen-notes.pdf">Computational Challenges in Comparative Genomics</a></p><p><a href="http://psb.stanford.edu/psb10/conference-materials/tutorials/compgen-notes.pdf">A Tutorial:</a></p><p><a href="http://gramene.agrinome.org/tutorials/modules_tutorial.pdf">A Comparative Genomics Resource for Grains</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/content/full/21/12/3718">PLAZA: A Comparative Genomics Resource to Study Gene and Genome Evolution in Plants:</a></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VISTA_(comparative_genomics)">VISTA</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VISTA_(comparative_genomics)">:</a></p><p>Software for Genomics</p><ol>
<li><strong>Artemis</strong>&nbsp;Artemis is a free genome viewer and annotation tool that allows visualization of sequence features and the results of analyses within the context of the sequence, and its six-frame translation.</li>
<li><strong>Chromas&nbsp;</strong>It will display and prints chromatogram files from ABI automated DNA sequencers, and Staden SCF files which the analysis programs for ALF, Li-Cor and Visible Genetics OpenGene sequencers can create.</li>
<li><strong>Glimmer</strong>&nbsp;A system for finding genes in microbial DNA, especially the genomes of bacteria and archaea.Glimmer (Gene Locator and Interpolated Markov Modeler) uses interpolated Markov models (IMMs) to identify the coding regions and distinguish them from noncoding DN</li>
<li><strong>Glimmer</strong>&nbsp;HMM&nbsp;A fast and accurate gene finder based on a GHMM architecture, developed specifically for eukaryotes. It incorporates splice site models adapted from the GeneSplicer program and uses interpolated Markov models for evaluating the coding regions.</li>
<li><strong>Glimmer</strong>&nbsp;M&nbsp;A gene finder derived from Glimmer, but developed specifically for eukaryotes. It is based on a dynamic programming algorithm that considers all combinations of possible exons for inclusion in a gene model and chooses the best of these combinations. The d</li>
<li><strong>MUMmer</strong>&nbsp;MUMmer is a system for rapidly aligning entire genomes, whether in complete or draft form.</li>
<li><strong>pDRAW</strong>&nbsp;pDRAW32 is being developed as a free time hobby project. It is far from finished, but as it has reached a point where it could be helpful for many labs, it is now available to the scientific community.</li>
<li><strong>Sequin</strong>&nbsp;Sequin is a stand-alone software tool developed by the NCBI for submitting and updating entries to the GenBank, EMBL, or DDBJ sequence databases. It is capable of handling simple submissions that contain a single short mRNA sequence, and complex submissio</li>
<li><strong>Staden&nbsp;</strong>The Staden Package consists of a series of tools for DNA sequence preparation (pregap4), assembly (gap4), editing (gap4) and DNA/protein sequence analysis (spin).</li>
</ol><p>For more software @&nbsp;<a href="http://bioinformaticsonline.com/bookmarks/view/926/list-of-popular-bioinformatics-softwaretools">http://bioinformaticsonline.com/bookmarks/view/926/list-of-popular-bioinformatics-softwaretools</a></p>]]></description>
	<dc:creator>Jitendra Narayan</dc:creator>
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