This decade has seen an exponential growth in the amount of genetic sequence and protein structure data available to biologists. These data have catalyzed a revolution in how biological and medical science is conducted in both academia and industry. However, due to the sheer volume and complexity of the data, modern computational techniques are required to store, manipulate, visualize, and explore it. Bioinformatics is the interdisciplinary area that applies the latest ideas of computer science to this wealth of new data to solve important biological problems, study the interactions of small molecules with biological receptors, and search for novel therapies for disease. It requires a sophisticated understanding of both the problem domain in biology and the appropriate analytical skills in computer science.
Although Bioinformatics is offered in both co-op and regular, it is intended primarily for co-op students. Regular students will not be able to follow a "traditional" term sequence and will definitely need to study in some spring terms.
In conjunction with common degree requirements in Table I in "Degree Requirements," this plan requires at least 20 units and 0.75 lab units. To continue in any Bioinformatics plan, a student must satisfy the cumulative overall average requirement and cumulative major average requirement for Computer Science of 60%, as specified by the Faculty of Mathematics, and the cumulative major average requirement for Biology of 60%, as specified by the Faculty of Science.
All of
CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science 1 or CS 135 Designing Functional Programs*
CS 136 Elementary Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction or CS 145 Design, Abstraction, and Implementation
MATH 135 (or MATH 145) Algebra
MATH 136 (or MATH 146) Linear Algebra 1
MATH 137 (or MATH 147) Calculus 1
MATH 138 (or MATH 148) Calculus 2
MATH 239 (or MATH 249) Introduction to Combinatorics
STAT 230 (or STAT 240) Probability
STAT 231 (or STAT 241) Statistics
BIOL 130 Introductory Cell Biology
BIOL 139 Genetics
BIOL 140 Fundamentals of Microbiology
BIOL 140L Microbiology Laboratory
BIOL 208 Analytical Methods in Molecular Biology
BIOL 265 Diversity of Life
BIOL 308 Principles of Molecular Biology
BIOL 365 Resources in Bioinformatics
BIOL 465 Current Topics in Bioinformatics
CHEM 120 Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
CHEM 120L Chemical Reaction Laboratory 1
CHEM 123 Chemical Reactions, Equilibria and Kinetics
CHEM 123L Chemical Reactions Laboratory 2
CHEM 264 Organic Chemistry 1
CM 339/CS 341 Algorithms
CS 240 Data Structures and Data Management
CS 241 Foundations of Sequential Programs
CS 245 Logic and Computation
CS 246 Software Abstraction and Specification
CS 251 Computer Organization and Design
CS 482 Computational Techniques in Biological Sequence Analysis
CS 483 Computational Techniques in Structural Bioinformatics
* or a 300- or 400-level CS major course in addition to those required below
Recommended courses
BIOL 331 Advanced Cell Biology
BIOL 342 Molecular Biotechnology 1
BIOL 359 Evolution
CHEM 333 Metabolism 1 (for students interested in Biochemistry)
STAT 333 Applied Probability
Note
A student can qualify for at most one of the following three degrees, regardless of which courses are taken.
Bachelor of Science (Honours Bioinformatics)
This plan requires fulfillment of the core requirements as listed above in Bioinformatics plus the following courses:
All of
BIOL 331 Advanced Cell Biology
BIOL 342 Molecular Biotechnology 1
BIOL 434 Human Molecular Genetics or a fourth-year Biochemistry course
CHEM 237 Introductory Biochemistry
CS 350 Operating Systems
Bachelor of Science (Honours Biology and Bioinformatics)
This plan requires fulfillment of the core requirements as listed above in Bioinformatics plus the following courses:
All of
BIOL 331 Advanced Cell Biology
BIOL 342 Molecular Biotechnology 1
BIOL 434 Human Molecular Genetics
CHEM 237 Introductory Biochemistry
Two additional third- or fourth-year Biology or Biochemistry courses.
Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours Bioinformatics Option)
This plan requires fulfillment of the core requirements as listed above in Bioinformatics plus the following courses:
All of
CHEM 237 Introductory Biochemistry
CS 350 Operating Systems
All of
Two additional courses from CS 340-398, 440-498, and one additional course from CS 440-498.
Note: At least one of these three courses must be from either the Systems and SE list or the Mathematical Foundations list for the Bachelor of Computer Science.
Recommended courses
CS 348 Introduction to Database Management
CS 486 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Notes
1. Students in Bioinformatics may not claim a Biology minor with a BCS degree;
2. Students in Bioinformatics may not claim a Computer Science minor with a Bachelor of Science degree.