In this course, you will learn how to use the BaseSpace cloud platform developed by Illumina (our industry partner) to apply several standard bioinformatics software approaches to real biological data.
In particular, in a series of Application Challenges will see how genome assembly can be used to track the source of a food poisoning outbreak, how RNA-Sequencing can help us analyze gene expression data on the tissue level, and compare the pros and cons of whole genome vs. whole exome sequencing for finding potentially harmful mutations in a human sample.
Plus, hacker track students will have the option to build their own genome assembler and apply it to real data!
This course is part of the Bioinformatics Specialization
Bioinformatics Capstone: Big Data in Biology
Offered By
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
15 hours to complete
Week 1: Identifying the Culprit in a Food Poisoning Outbreak
This week, we will apply genome sequencing algorithms to identify the bacterium causing a deadly food poisoning outbreak.
4 readings, 1 quiz
4 readings
Welcome to Class!10m
Special Thanks2m
Introduction15m
Databases and Tools5m
Week
24 hours to complete
Week 2: Comparing Gene Expression in Tissue Samples with RNA-Seq
In this week's Application Challenge, we will learn how RNA-Sequencing can be applied to perform tissue-level gene expression analysis. In particular, which is more similar on a gene expression level: different tissues from the same organism, or analogous tissues from related species? This question was the subject of recent debate and a Twitter controversy -- read more to find out!
2 readings, 1 quiz
2 readings
Introduction15m
Databases and Tools5m
Week
35 hours to complete
Week 3: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Whole Genome and Whole Exome Sequencing on a Human Sample
Comparing the differences between sequencing an entire human genome and sequencing only the exome, or the DNA that is eventually translated into protein. Can we obtain a complete picture of someone's genetic disease predispositions from only the exome, or is there information lurking in introns that can provide doctors with vital information? How do we weigh the trade-offs when considering genome and exome sequencing?
4 readings, 1 quiz
4 readings
Introduction15m
Databases and Tools10m
Walkthroughs15m
Reading: Part 3 FAQs
Instructors
Phillip Compeau
Visiting ResearcherDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering
Pavel Pevzner
ProfessorDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering
About University of California San Diego
UC San Diego is an academic powerhouse and economic engine, recognized as one of the top 10 public universities by U.S. News and World Report. Innovation is central to who we are and what we do. Here, students learn that knowledge isn't just acquired in the classroom—life is their laboratory.
About the Bioinformatics Specialization
Join Us in a Top 50 MOOC of All Time!
How do we sequence and compare genomes? How do we identify the genetic basis for disease? How do we construct an evolutionary Tree of Life for all species on Earth?
When you complete this Specialization, you will learn how to answer many questions in modern biology that have become inseparable from the computational approaches used to solve them. You will also obtain a toolkit of existing software resources built on these computational approaches and that are used by thousands of biologists every day in one of the fastest growing fields in science.
Although this Specialization centers on computational topics, you do not need to know how to program in order to complete it. If you are interested in programming, we feature an "Honors Track" (called "hacker track" in previous runs of the course). The Honors Track allows you to implement the bioinformatics algorithms that you will encounter along the way in dozens of automatically graded coding challenges. By completing the Honors Track, you will be a bioinformatics software professional!
Learn more about the Bioinformatics Specialization (including why we are wearing these crazy outfits) by watching our introductory video.
You can purchase the Specialization's print companion, Bioinformatics Algorithms: An Active Learning Approach, from the textbook website.
Our first course, "Finding Hidden Messages in DNA", was named a top-50 MOOC of all time by Class Central!
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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