INTRODUCTION
A Bioinformatics Guide by the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute
Contemporary medicine, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology have become increasingly data-driven fields, where the analysis of large-scale biological data serves as a cornerstone of progress and innovation. Revolutionary technologies, such as high-throughput sequencing, have transformed bio-related research and industries. However, these advances have also highlighted a critical gap: the shortage of specialists—bioinformaticians—who can convert vast datasets into actionable insights. Training experts in bioinformatics and genomics is therefore essential for advancing life sciences research.
To address this need, the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI, https://abi.am), in collaboration with the Bioinformatics Group at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) NAS RA, has initiated an annual series of summer schools in genome bioinformatics. To extend the reach of these efforts, we have compiled the materials from these schools into this guide.
This guide provides you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to embark on your first bioinformatics project. While this is not an exhaustive resource, it serves as a starting point, equipping you with the tools and inspiration to pursue further education in this dynamic field.
Who Is The Guide For?
This guide is designed for biologists or data/computer scientists eager to embark on their journey in Bioinformatics and Genomics. However, if you do not fit into these categories but are still interested in exploring the fascinating world of science, we encourage you to challenge yourself and complete the guide. Lack of prior knowledge in either discipline should not hinder your progress (see details below).
The guide encompasses fundamental aspects of Molecular Biology, Programming in R and Python, basics of Unix command-line, Statistics, Experimental Techniques in Genetics and Genomics, Bioinformatics algorithms, Sequencing data analysis and Functional Genomics.
Advanced access and certification
We provide free access to this guide for anyone interested in starting their journey in bioinformatics. If you find our work valuable, we encourage you to support the Armenian Bioinformatics Institute with a donation. As a non-profit organization, your contributions help us continue developing training materials and resources.
To donate, visit:
Thank you for supporting our mission to advance bioinformatics education!
Credits
This guide includes both original content and links to external resources. The original content is authored by:
Created by the ABI team
Final editing by: Maria Nikoghosyan and Lilit Nersisyan, PhD
Original content in specific modules created by:
Aleksey Kurnosov, PhD (Molecular Biology)
Vahan Huroyan, PhD (Statistics)
Susanna Avagyan (Single-cell gene expression data analysis)
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