Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program

Introducing a new M.S. and Ph.D. program at the University of Idaho!

Bioinformatics and computational biology are new disciplines emerging from the application of mathematics, statistics, and computer science.  They explain the vast quantities of biological data that modern molecular techniques have made available.  For example, the recent sequencing of the human genome provides far more data than analyzed with current computational or mathematical techniques.  Yet this is only one of over 800 complete genomes that have been sequenced to date.  To mine this mountain of data, we need experts who know biology, computer science, and mathematics.  The students who graduate with the BCB degree from the University of Idaho will have this expertise.

The emphasis of the BCB degree is on active, interdisciplinary collaborations.  A degree in BCB requires coursework and practical experience in biology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science  The focus of the degree is on learning to develop and use computational and mathematical tools to analyze biological data.

Initial participants include faculty members from eight departments or divisions:  Biological Sciences, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry, Plant, Soil, and Entomological Sciences, Fish and Wildlife Resources, Forest Resources, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science.  These academic units span 4 colleges and one institute: Science, Natural Resources, Agricultural and Life Sciences, Engineering, and WWAMI.