Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis – Applying Computational Tools to Biology

The conceptual foundation of bioinformatics rests on the recognition that biological systems can be understood as information processing networks. DNA sequences encode instructions for building and operating living organisms, protein structures determine molecular function, and cellular networks process signals and make decisions. This information-centric view of biology naturally lends itself to computational analysis, where biological problems can be translated into computational challenges that leverage the power of modern computing.

Historical development of bioinformatics began with the first protein sequences determined in the 1950s, when Frederick Sanger sequenced insulin and established that proteins have defined, reproducible structures. The accumulation of protein sequence data led to the creation of the first biological databases and the development of algorithms for comparing sequences. The field accelerated dramatically with the advent of DNA sequencing technologies in the 1970s and 1980s, which produced genetic information at unprecedented rates.