Finding Hidden Messages in DNA (Bioinformatics I)

Welcome to class!

This course will focus on two questions at the forefront of modern computational biology, along with the algorithmic approaches we will use to solve them in parentheses:

1. Weeks 1-2: Where in the Genome Does DNA Replication ...
2. Week 2 - Week 2: Finding Replication Origins
   

   Welcome to Week 2 of class!

   This week, we will examine the biological details of how DNA replication is carried out in the cell. We will then see how to use these details to help us design an intelligent algorithmic approach looking for the replica...

3. Week 3 - Week 3: Hunting for Regulatory Motifs
   

   Welcome to Week 3 of class!

   This week, we begin a new chapter, titled "Which DNA Patterns Play the Role of Molecular Clocks?" At the bottom of this message is this week's Bioinformatics Cartoon.  What does a late night casino trip with two 18th...

4. Week 4 - Week 4: How Rolling Dice Helps Us Find Regulatory Motifs
   

   Welcome to Week 4 of class!

   Last week, we encountered a few introductory motif-finding algorithms. This week, we will see how to improve upon these motif-finding approaches by designing randomized algorithms that can "roll dice" to find motifs.

5. Week 5 - Week 5: Bioinformatics Application Challenge
   Welcome to week 5 of the class!This week, we will apply popular motif-finding software in order to hunt for motifs in a real biological dataset.