This course is part of the Bioinformatics Specialization

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Phillip Compeau +1 more instructor

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Bioinformatics SpecializationUniversity of California San Diego

About this Course

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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!

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 7 of 7 in the

Bioinformatics Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 7 of 7 in the

Bioinformatics Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructors

Phillip Compeau

Visiting Researcher

Department of Computer Science & Engineering

200,204 Learners

8 Courses

Pavel Pevzner

Professor

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

624,239 Learners

15 Courses

Offered by

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.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

5 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.

5 hours to complete

5 readings

Week

Week 2

4 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!

4 hours to complete

2 readings

Week

Week 3

5 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?

5 hours to complete

4 readings

Reviews

4.2

6 reviews

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TOP REVIEWS FROM BIOINFORMATICS CAPSTONE: BIG DATA IN BIOLOGY

by KASep 3, 2019

I hope that the links to access data in the peer graded assignments gets fixed soon!

View all reviews

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?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
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.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Bioinformatics Capstone: Big Data in Biology

About this Course