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There is a discipline at the cusp of scientific knowledge, furthering the field and allowing for greater and more expedient understanding. Scripts are written in specific programming languages that are able to analyze biological data, specifically DNA and RNA sequences from viruses and microbes. This field is called bioinformatics and it has gained in popularity the last couple of decades, namely for its ability to solve significant scientific challenges in both the medical and environmental worlds.
At the intersection of microbiology and bioinformatics is a realm where the biological context, real-life application, and technical aspects of a study can be understood with greater depth. While bioinformatics is commonly described as being in its infancy, that is somewhat a misnomer. Computers actually surfaced as a significant tool in molecular biology as early as the 1960s. “A decade before DNA sequencing became feasible, computational biologists focused on the rapidly accumulating data from protein biochemistry,” according to an article published in the National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information. Scientists working with early computers and without the benefits of computer networks or supercomputers, were able to establish vital technical and conceptual foundations for bioinformatics that are still used today. But what does this mean for the future of biology, medicine and scientific understanding? For starters, technological advancements and the heightened ability to analyze data significantly expedited the completion of the Human Genome Project, a 13-year project focused on identifying approximately 30,000 genes in human DNA. That accumulated information is now stored in databases, analyzed and used for a variety of purposes, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. Findings from the project will have profound impacts on biomedical research and clinical medicine. After all, all diseases have a genetic component. Some may be inherited, as is the case with the nearly 3,000 to 4,000 hereditary diseases like Cystic Fibrosis and Huntington’s Disease. Or, the genes can respond to an environmental stress that causes changes in the genome like the case with diabetes, heart disease and cancer. An understanding of the human genome means scientists and medical practitioners can directly search for the genes associated with specific diseases and also generate greater understanding of the molecular basis of the diseases. This, in turn, paves the way for preventative tests and more effective treatment, including simplifying diagnosis of disease, accelerated detection of genetic predispositions to specific disease, gene therapy, gene replacement therapy and even custom drugs. Bioinformatics is the future and has infinite potential to help people who have diseases and even, more broadly, help the world face challenges associated with global warming. Comments are closed.
AuthorHamza Mbareche is a researcher, trainer and consultant who focuses on improving the environmental safety of workplaces and public spaces, using cutting edge technologies. Archives
August 2023
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