What is Bioinformatics?

Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to biology in order to harness the voluminous amount of genetic and other biological information emerging from numerous biological research endevours.

Bioinformatics is essential for using genomic information to understand human diseases and identify new molecular targets for drug discovery. As biologists create genetic road maps of living beings, bioinformatics harvest that information through use of specialized computer software programs for database creation, data management, data warehousing, data mining and global communications.

On yet another level, bioinformatics occupies a central and essential role in drug discovery. Classical drug discovery has largely proceeded on the basis of trial and error. For every minor breakthrough, numerous failures have been documented. Bioinformatics has essentially replaced bench chemistry in the hunt for better drugs. High throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry provide a bioinformatics framework by which researchers can identify synthetic molecules for treating human disease or new drug targets for therapeutic intervention.

Bioinformatics has thus become the latest frontier in the discovery of new medicines and public health issues. It is certain to influence the future of drug development, pharmacogenetics, clinical industrial management and patient stratification in the clinical-testing process. It has also become a driving force furthering agribusiness interests in sustainable development and environmental protection by improving, for example, crop production.

Faculty Contact

Mitrick A. Johns
(815)753-7836
rjohns@niu.edu