Forum:self-study bioinformatics home projects
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9.6 years ago

Hello,

Can I become a Bioinformatics Scientist and work own my own?

I'm a software developer and I'm willing to learn bioinformatics online. I was wondering if I learn it I could work on some projects like find cure for some diseases.

Cheers,
Andre

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In silico alone isn't going to cure any diseases.

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Start by taking online bioinformatics course, e.g. one on coursera

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What do I need to learn to be able to cure diseases?

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Medicine. Medicine. Medicine.

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The shortest answer would be: get an MD.

Granted, that'll only allow you to treat diseases with known treatments in whatever sub-speciality you go into. Actually finding new treatments/cures for diseases takes teams of people with diverse backgrounds (unless you just get lucky...which is decreasingly likely with time since). Otherwise, you'd be better off to try and join a team that needs some new bit of software to help them do their work better and faster (at least unless you want to go back to school and get a PhD in a bio or chemistry-related field).

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9.6 years ago
Medhat 9.7k

Ok bioinformatics is based on data, No data no bioinformatics.

So as a developer I think you will not cure diseases right away but, you will help other bioinformatians or biologist whom lack developing ability by creating some GUI software or some packages that will make there life easier or developing new algorithm or implement it.

In summary the answer is YES but not in direct way :)

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9.6 years ago
tiago211287 ★ 1.4k

I think you could try a PhD or Masters degree in Bioinformatics or Computational Biology, systems Biology.

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