Bioinformatics

Designated by the U.S. Department of Labor
National Community College Life Science Informatics Center of Excellence
National Center for Biotechnology Workforce

Biology has moved increasingly from a bench-based discipline to a computer-based science. As a result, the demand for professional understanding of bioinformatics and computational skills has also grown. A 10% annual growth rate has been predicted in the Bioinformatics market, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) has estimated at least 20,000 jobs will be created in the field by 2008. Over the next decade, bioinformatics will grow exponentially in importance. It’s going to become the new language of biology.

Employees cross-trained in both basic research and computational skills will become invaluable. New careers in Bioinformatics will surface as the need to analyze information spreads to other disciplines, such as agriculture and animal science. For instructional support materials, please select the Resources and Publications link from the left menu.