“Bioinformatics is a powerful tool necessary to extract the maximum amount of insight from any experimental data produced in the lab, but for many it remains intimidating. It need not be, as the skills necessary for computer-aided analysis are easy to acquire and straightforward to use. I aim to demonstrate how to use a basic bioinformatics pipeline, loading data from common filetypes, processing it for insight and recording the results to storage. I will then demonstrate methods of visualizing and interpreting analysis, covering relevant programming packages, and discuss where to acquire publicly available datasets. Lastly, I will cover some of the philosophical underpinnings of bioinformatics, discussing what to look for during analysis and how to avoid analytical errors such as incorrect comparisons. While the demonstration will be done in the python programming language, it will be suitable for anyone with a basic knowledge of any programming language.”
Thomas Duffield is a final year PhD researcher at the University of Liverpool in the lab of Professor Yalin Zheng, working on the bioinformatic analysis of epigenetic age. He focuses on the fidelity of information repair within the epigenetic system using information theory and bioinformatics.