Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field. It merges biology, computer science and the information technology. The best way to define it is as an interface between the bio sciences and the computational sciences. In other words, Bioinformatics is the union of information technology and the biotechnology.
Arising out of the high demands for the need of information analysis, Bioinformatics is emerging very fast and the study of management in biology and biotechnology will help in dealing with the subject matter.
As it is widely known that computational modeling and the analysis is an integral part of the biological discovery nowadays, hence the scope is definitely wide. In simple words, bioinformatics combines the tools and the techniques of subjects like mathematics, computer science and obviously biology to understand biological significance of any data. A few of the main areas of bioinformatics are data mining and the analysis for the genome projects; to understand the protein structure prediction; the system biology; and also developing computer databases and the algorithms for biological research as well.
Bioinformatics has a profound impact in the fields as varied as the health, agriculture and the environment besides the energy and biotechnology. It also has impact in the biomedical research and development. The field of bioinformatics is also used, in molecular medicines to produce better, and more customized medicines for preventing diseases. Besides, it has the environmental benefits also in identifying the waste cleanup bacteria. It is used in the field of agriculture for producing the high yield and low maintenance crops as well. These are only a few of many benefits that the huge field of bioinformatics can offer.
Those students who have an interest in biology and have the basic knowledge of mathematics, chemistry and computer sciences can do well in the field. Those students who pass the Master's course or even obtain the higher qualifications in the field of Bioinformatics have really good job opportunities. Private companies of IT sector, pharmaceutical companies and laboratories provide good employment opportunity for bioinformatics degree holders.
If you are interested in grabbing a job and want to pursue your higher studies or want to do more research on the subject, then there is also scope for the research in medical, biomedical and the molecular biology. To name a few these are the posts that you can hold after attaining the MSc degree:
• Programmers,
• Research officers or assistants,
• Web administrators,
• Content developers,
• Faculty in colleges
• Bioinformatics specialists,
• Scientists
If experts are to be believed then there will be more than 10 per cent annual growth in the field of Bioinformatics and in its job market in the coming years. According to an estimate 20,000 new jobs will be created in just next four years. The industry for Bioinformatics-based services and the databases, as the experts say, could well surpass billions in a couple of years, even though large part of the global bioinformatics market is still centered in US.
With the growing interest of students in the field of bioinformatics, it is supposed by the insiders of the field that it may even lead to an acute shortage of the experts in the segment of bioinformatics worldwide. Given the current scenario, companies will do anything to hold on the experts and that will make these positions attractive in India. Currently, a bioinformatics expert with just a year experience gets paid more than 50,000 a month in private sector. However, the placement also depends on academic performance in this field. The field is hot! It will always be far from being the overpopulated field and the number of jobs is growing further.
The final goal of the field of bioinformatics is to find the wealth of the biological information that is hidden in the mass of sequences, structures and literature. It also finds the information in biological data and also obtains a clearer insight into fundamental biology of the organisms and how to use this new information to enhance standard of life for the mankind.
It isn't simply another interdisciplinary research aspect; rather it is another career opportunity that covers a broader and wider curriculum which can be much beneficial for students in all their future endeavors.
Article Source: http://www.biotecharticles.com/
About Author / Additional Info:
Maitree Baral holds Master degree in Bioinformatics and shows profound interest in sharing and discussing different aspects of Bioinformatics.
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