GC: n
CT: A flood of data means that many of the challenges in biology are now challenges in computing. Bioinformatics, the application of computational techniques to analyse the information associated with biomolecules on a large-scale, has now firmly established itself as a discipline in molecular biology, and encompasses a wide range of subject areas from structural biology, genomics to gene expression studies.
S: YBI – http://www.ebi.ac.uk/luscombe/docs/imia_review.pdf (last access: 3 December 2014)
N: 1. bio- (prefix): word-forming element, from Greek bio-, comb. form of bios “one’s life, course or way of living, lifetime” (as opposed to zoe “animal life, organic life”), from PIE root gweie- “to live”. The correct usage is that in biography, but in modern science it has been extended to mean “organic life”).
informatics (n): 1967, translating Russian informatika (1966), from information.
2. Bioinformatics involves conceptualising biology in terms of molecules (in the sense of physical chemistry) and applying “informatics techniques” (derived from disciplines such as applied maths, computer science and statistics) to understand and organise the information associated with these molecules, on a large scale. In short, bioinformatics is a management information system for molecular biology and has many practical applications.
3. Examples include methods of calculating from first principles such as Ab Initio, Monte Carlo or other simulation programs applied to looking at protein-protein interactions, protein folding, drug binding site elucidation, etc.
4. Bioinformatics: Although sometimes used as a synonym, the term bioinformatics usually refers to the management and analysis of biological data using advanced computing techniques.
S: 1. Etymonline – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=informatics&searchmode=none (last access: 2 December 2014). 2. YBI – http://www.ebi.ac.uk/luscombe/docs/imia_review.pdf (last access: 3 December 2014); http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/255935?redirectedFrom=bioinformatics#eid (last access: 3 December 2014). 3 & 4. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 2 December 2014).
GV: bio-informatics
S: GDT (last access: 2 December 2014)
SYN: 1. computational biology. 2. biological informatics, biocomputing, bio-computing, biological computing.
S: 1. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 2 December 2014); GDT (last access: 2 December 2014). 2. GDT (last access: 2 December 2014).
CR: cloud computing, computer science, computational science.
