Bioinformatics

The mission of the Programme is to equip students with knowledge and technique in computational biology, to allow development of research skills in the study of the genomic sequences and biomolecular structures, and their functions and dynamics in the biological systems; and to accelerate the translation of research discoveries to improve healthcare.

The advances in bioinformatics and computational biology are redefining our understanding of biology in the molecular level. With the completion of the Human Genome Project and driven by low cost genomic assays, traditional clinical research has expanded into the realm of big data crunching and mining; the advances in structural biology have made computer-aided drug design an indispensable tool in pharmaceutical industries. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary programme, including diverse fields like molecular biology, computer science, physics, chemistry, statistics and data science. In modern biology, it serves as a foundation to understand life processes in biological systems through computational methods, and to discover novel biological phenomena in the increasingly data-centric biological and biomedical sciences.

Instead of offering a generic bioinformatics programme, this Programme at CUHK(SZ) offers focused training and prepares students in response to the demands from academic, government and industrial sectors. The emphasis will be on systems biology, algorithm and biomedical database development. Practical research mandates through internship at research or industrial organizations will be offered.

Upon completion of the Programme, students will have acquired the ability to:

1) demonstrate deep knowledge of the principles and the methods of computational techniques in computer science, physical science and data science;

2) demonstrate understanding in general biology, including molecular biology, evolution, structural biology, etc.;

3) master genomic sequences analysis, biomolecular structure modeling, and bio-data management;

4) design and propose analytical tools for biological processes in the biological systems; and

5) display a critical and creative attitude in their professional life.