Computational biology and biomedicine

The study of Computational Biology and Biomedicine aims to provide students with knowledge in the fields of biology, applied mathematics and computer science and is suitable for all those interested in biology and medicine, who are keen on mathematics and data science. The strength of the study program is its multidisciplinarity, which provides students with insight into various areas of natural sciences and enables understanding of broader biological, physiological, epidemiological and environmental context on the one hand and the development of mathematical, analytical and computational skills on the other.

The aim of the study is to teach students to apply methods of mathematical statistics, modeling and programming in the analysis of biological and clinical data. Thus, the study program combines theoretical knowledge, analytical procedures and practical applications of mathematical methods and computing to solve specific problems in applied research. The aim of the practical part of the bachelor thesis is to further help students in developing key skills and knowledge needed to process, analyze and interpret data.

The study program comprises two specializations: Epidemiology and Modeling and Biomedical Bioinformatics. The Epidemiology and Modeling specialization focuses on the explanation and modeling of factors related to characteristics and behavior of individuals, populations, and communities, and on modeling based on data from biomedical and environmental sciences. The Biomedical Bioinformatics specialization focuses on training experts in analyzing complex data comprising design of the experiment, data management, and consequent statistical analysis including data-driven generation of hypotheses and interpretation of results.

While other universities focus on the education and training of engineers (FEEC VUT in Brno, FBMI CTU), which are applicable mainly to the positions of non-medical health care professionals, Computational Biology and Biomedicine study program produces graduates able to use their knowledge of natural sciences, and targeting professions not only in health care, but also in the academic sector, the public sector and the pharmaceutical industry. The Biomedical Bioinformatics specialization answers the urgent need for experts that would be able to analyze data from omics technologies in basic and applied research in biology and medicine. In comparison to similar study programs at Masaryk University or other Czech Universities, our specialization is not oriented at structural bioinformatics or pure algorithmic approaches. In contrast, our specialization, being part of the Computational Biology and Biomedicine study program, offers an interdisciplinary education in five basic fields – biology, chemistry, (bio)informatics, mathematics and statistics, with a special accent on complex analysis of data from omics technologies. The study plan follows the bioinformatics curriculum as recommended by the Educational Committee of International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) (Welch et al., 2014, PLoS Comput Biol. Mar 6;10(3):e1003496). Due to its complex interdisciplinary profile, our specialization is offered on both bachelor and master levels.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• have theoretical knowledge in the field of molecular and cellular biology, genetics and physiology of living organisms;
• explain fundamental theoretical and methodological principles in mathematics and statistics;
• explain key terms in epidemiology and principles of epidemiological studies;
• explain fundamental theoretical principles of bioinformatics;
• solve given problem concerning biological and medical data and define specific sub-tasks within the process;
• select appropriate mathematical, statistical or analytical methods to solve the given problem;
• choose and apply software tools for the selected mathematical or analytical methods and algorithms under specified conditions and data characteristics;
• program algorithms for data processing and analysis;
• draw conclusions and interpret the results.

The bachelor's degree program is designed to provide fundamental knowledge in the fields of biology, mathematics and computer science, while learning students to perform models and analyses of biological systems independently. The graduate will be qualified to process and analyze biological and medical data in applied research, both in the public and the private sector, especially in health care, pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, environmental protection, and other fields with emphasis on data management and analysis.

Practical training is not an obligatory part of the study program.

The aim of the bachelor’s thesis is to get oriented in the particular research area, to demonstrate the ability to elaborate a written work on a given topic, and to clearly explain the relevant background, the results, and the conclusions. The work contains literature review on the given topic as well as a practical part. The ratio of these two parts may vary depending on the research topic, however both parts must be included. The student should select, introduce and apply the chosen method or algorithm, while understanding its mathematical principles at the appropriate level. The work usually consists of chapters including introduction to the problem, description of methods of data management and analysis, results, their evaluation and interpretation with regard to the suitability and limitations of the applied methodology, discussion of the results in the context of the information presented in the introduction, and conclusion.

The minimum size of the bachelor's thesis is 30 pages, the recommended range is 30 to 50 pages according to the given topic of interest. The compulsory parts of the work are governed by the respective faculty legislation (Dean's Act No.5/2014).

After completion of the bachelor's degree, students can apply for admission to a follow-up master's degree in Computational Biology and Biomedicine that focuses on broader expertise and deepening of knowledge in biological, mathematical or computer science fields according to one of the two specializations.

The graduate can also continue his/her studies in any Faculty of Science master's degree program (after satisfying the admission requirements).