YUNKAI LIU, Ph.D., Program Director
Over the past few decades, major advances in molecular biotechnology and computer hardware/ software have changed the way pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies organize their research and development activities. An explosive growth in the biological information requires an individual trained in bioinformatics to organize, analyze and understand the biological information.
Bioinformatics (BINF) is a new scientific discipline that merges biotechnology and computer science into a broad-based field. Bioinformatics manipulate molecular and organism data to answer important biological questions.
Coupled with Gannon's emphasis on liberal studies, graduates from this program are fully prepared to enter business careers or to further academic pursuits not only with the technical tools, but also with the knowledge of how to make ethical decisions about the use of these tools.
Aims and Objectives:
The BINF program prepares its graduates to achieve significant career and professional accomplishments in four ways: as employable and accountable professionals, competent problem solvers, and selfless contributors.
As employable professionals, our BINF graduates are well prepared for graduate work or employment in their field, and to continue working in related fields. As accountable professionals, our program graduates are accountable for their professional roles, and as such, pursue their profession in an ethical manner. This includes the responsibility for, or leadership in research/development projects or teams, aspects of major system components, or business development work. As competent problem solver's, our graduates apply current computing technology knowledge, skills, techniques and methods to develop effective solutions for problems, improve product, process and/or organizational elements, or to innovate. As selfless contributors, our graduates voluntarily give their time, talent, and/or money to their community, profession, church and/or society.
Program Outcomes:
As a computing program, Gannon's Bioinformatics program has a strong focus on problemsolving
that begins with the very first course in computing (CIS 190 Principles of Computing) and is carried through into the senior research sequence (BINF 300 Bioinformatics Programming and BINF 400 Bioinformatics Research). Throughout the learning process, students learn how to effectively define and represent both problems and the solutions needed to solve those problems. Throughout the course of study, students learn, and practice making ethical decisions.
All students will learn how to utilize information and computer technology, while developing and maintaining a comprehension of the changing technology used in computer-based systems. Through this learning process, we expect students to own a desire for continuous improvement and demonstrate effective verbal, written, and listening communication skills.
Specifically, Bioinformatics students completing our program learn to:
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Understand the basic and advanced mechanisms in molecular biology and biochemistry
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Utilize mathematical, statistical and software tools, environments and databases for effective collection, searching and effective analysis of experimental data.
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Design and build computational solutions for Biological and chemical problems
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Design computational solutions derived from biology or chemistry and interpret scientific significance of the results
Integration:
One of the hallmarks of Gannon's BINF degree is its integration with traditional Liberal-Arts education. Gannon BINF majors not only learn computing well, but also learn how to synthesize, think critically and communicate well. In our program, bridging traditional courses like writing, philosophy, theology and ethics begins in the CIS 103 CIS Freshman Seminar, and continues throughout the program, culminating in the BINF 400 Bioinformatics Research course.
BINF Electives:
Bioinformatics electives are drawn from three areas fundamental to Bioinformatics: Biology Computing and Mathematics. Pre-approved electives include the following courses:
Probability and Statistics II/MATH 313;
Web Management and Design/CIS 240;
Microbiology/BIO 331-&332;
Multimedia Production/CIS 245-246,
or other courses with the permission of the Director of the Bioinformatics Program.
All CIS course descriptions are provided in section Computer and Information Science.
All BIOL course descriptions are provided in section Biology.
All MATH course descriptions are provided in section Mathematics.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
BINF 100: Introduction to Bioinformatics
This course introduces students to the field of bioinformatics. The course will include online computational resources and basic programming concepts.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 1 credit, Fall
BINF 200: Bioinformatics Tools
Analysis of biological molecules and software tools will be focused in this course. Students will retrieve and interpret bio-information from the Internet and database and learn tools to solve the problems.
Prerequisites: BINF 100 and CIS 216. 3 credits, Spring
BINF 300: Bioinformatics Programming
This course is to learn computational techniques for solving scientific problems focusing on applications in bioinformatics and computational biology. The student will develop the ability to convert a quantitative problem into computer programs.
Prerequisite: BINF 200. 3 credits, Fall
BINF 400: Research in Bioinformatics
Reading and research on a specific topic in computational sciences and informatics chosen and completed under the guidance of a faculty member, which results in an acceptable technical report.
Prerequisite: BINF 300 and CIS 402. 3 credits, Spring
Bioinformatics Curriculum
(Numerals in front of courses indicate credits)
FRESHMAN
Fall
1 Intro to Bioinformatics/BINF 100
3 General Chemistry I/CHEM 111
1 General Chemistry I Lab/CHEM 112
3 Calculus I/MATH 140
3 Molecular Cell Biology/BIOL 122
1 Molecular Cell Biol Lab/BIOL 123
3 College Composition/LENG 111
2 First-Year Seminar/CIS 103
17
Spring
3 Critical Analysis & Comp/LENG 112
3 Hist of the West and World/LHST 111
3 Calculus II/MATH 141
3 General Chemistry II/CHEM 114
1 General Chem II Lab/CHEM 115
3 Animal Form and Function/ BIOL 124
1 Animal Form and Func Lab/BIOL 125
17
SOPHOMORE
Fall
3 Sacred Scriptures/LTHE 121
3 Principles of Computing/CIS 190
1 PC Database/CIS 173
3 Probability & Statistics/MATH 312
3 Organic Chemistry I/CHEM 221
1 Organic Chemistry I Lab/CHEM 222
3 Discrete Math I/MATH 222
17
Spring
2 Intro Programming/CIS 214
1 Intro Programming Lab/CIS 215
3 Organic Chemistry II/CHEM 224
1 Organic Chem II Lab/CHEM 225
3 Theology Series II/LTHE
3 Intro to Philosophy/LPHI 131
3 Literature Series/LENG
16
JUNIOR
Fall
3 Project Economics/ECON 285
3 Problem Solving with OOP/CIS 216
3 Structural Biochemistry/CHEM 366
1 Biochemical Lab/CHEM 367
3 Genetics/BIOL 345
1 Using UNIX/CIS 217
1 UNIX Shell Programming/CIS 218
15
Spring
3 Cellular Biochemistry/BIOL 373
1 Cellular Biochemistry Lab/BIOL 374
3 Data Structures/CIS 220
1 CIS Professional Seminar/CIS 402
3 Bioinformatics Tools/BINF 200
3 Theo/Phil III Series/LTHE or LPHI
3 Database Management Systems/CIS 255
1 Leadership Seminar
18
SENIOR
Fall
3 Bioinformatics Programming/BINF 300
2 Computational Chemistry/CHEM 419
3 Medical Ethics/LBST 383
3-4 BINF Elective
3 Visual Database Programming/CIS 355
14-15
Spring
3 Bioinformatics Research/BINF 400
3 Cell Biology/BIOL 375
1 Cell Biology Lab/BIOL 376
3 Fine Art Series/LFIN
3 Philosophy II Series/LPHI
3 BINF Elective
16
Total Credits: 130-131 | 