Department of
Natural Sciences
Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI)
Enter the world of bioinformatics, where you are the bridge between exciting developments in computer science, mathematics and biology.
Here, you’ll be part of a global network of researchers studying how biological processes and information systems effectively work together. The exploration of genetic disease in the Human Genome Project and the revolutionary advancements in HIV drug treatment are just two compelling and important ways bioinformatics is impacting our world. We’re proud to be the first undergraduate bioinformatics program in Maryland. You will graduate with a comprehensive skill set in applied science that you can use as a basis for advanced education and a meaningful career in one of the fastest-growing fields in the country.
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The bioinformatics program is an intensive, four-year curriculum that fuses science and cyberspace in a multidisciplinary combination of information technologies, experimental biology and mathematical modeling. If you enjoy problem-solving with data and algorithms, if you do your best thinking in a lab setting, if you want to help catalyze advancements that make life better for others — from designing new vaccines to protecting the environment — this is your major. As you apply the tools and techniques of scientific investigation, you will:
- Predict protein structures using gene sequences and artificial intelligence
- Understand the structure and function of macromolecules in biological systems
- Study gene structure and protein function from a molecular viewpoint
- Manage biological data, recognize geometric parameters, solve scientific problems and make new discoveries
In addition to other crucial skills, you’ll learn methods to align sequences and perform comparative genome analysis. Your classroom education will be enhanced by access to state-of-the-art lab equipment, a premium natural science computer lab and experienced faculty who are invested in their students’ comprehension and success.