 B.S.
in Bioinformatics at USP
Do you seek a career that combines your interest in computers with
your love of science? Would you like to use computer technology
to solve the world's biological problems? Do you want to be on the
edge of a great scientific revolution? Consider the bioinformatics
major at USP. Described as "the future of the life sciences,"
bioinformatics combines molecular biology, chemistry, computer programming,
and mathematics to answer crucial health and genetic questions.
Why USP?
As we have in the past, USP is again leading the way in emerging
fields of science. We offer one of the few undergraduate programs
in bioinformatics in the country and are the first university in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be granted permission by the
Department of Education to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in
bioinformatics. What makes our bioinformatics program special?
- Curriculum offering
a strong fundamental background in the sciences with specific
training in computer science, chemical modeling, molecular biology,
and genomics.
- Opportunities to learn how to
manipulate protein and DNA information using the latest bioinformatics
software and advanced computer hardware platforms.
- Yearlong capstone courses in your senior year, providing a solid
foundation and hands-on experience in bioinformatics analysis.
- Expert faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, and the Department of Math, Physics,
and Computer Science.
- Opportunity to earn a Master
of Science degree in five years for students who wish to deepen
their understanding of bioinformatics. For qualified students
who complete the Bioinformatics B.S. degree, it should take only
one additional year of study to gain the graduate degree.
- Excellent career opportunities
in the single fastest-growing specialty in the life sciences.
- Outstanding preparation for graduate school. USP ranks in the
top 11% of 1,150 comparable institutions whose undergraduates
have gone on to complete a doctoral degree in the sciences, according
to the National Science Foundation. In addition, we rank second
in the number of graduates who went on to receive advanced degrees
in the medical sciences, according to the NSF.
Your Life in Bioinformatics
The information revolution that is now sweeping across society
will be particularly important in the health sciences as new tools
for medical diagnosis and treatment move from the research laboratory
to the hospital clinic and physician's office. With a Bachelor of
Science degree in bioinformatics from USP, you'll have a wide range
of career tracts open to you:
- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. A large number
of new companies specializing in genomics and bioinformatics have
launched in recent years.
- Computer science industry. Many software and hardware companies
have divisions that serve the pharmaceutical, medical, and academic
industries.
- Academic and government research. Demand is growing for individuals
trained in bioinformatics to contribute to numerous scientific
disciplines.
- Professional careers such as medicine and dentistry, which will
require knowledge of bioinformatics as we enter the century of
molecular medicine.
Your Future in Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics specialists are already in great demand, and the
rapid growth of the profession is expected to continue. Frost &
Sullivan, a California consulting firm, has predicted a growth rate
of 10 percent annually in the bioinformatics market, and the National
Science Foundation estimates that 20,000 bioinformatics workers
will be needed by 2005.
The push by the Human Genome Project has created careers such as
DNA sequencing technicians/analysts, genomic database managers,
bioinformatics programmers, and genetic engineers. The Human Genome
Project has even affected the way physicians diagnose patients.
A survey by the trade journal The
Scientist and Abbott, Langer & Assoc. shows median salaries
plus cash compensation for jobs in bioinformatics around $75,000
to $77,000. For bioinformatics professionals who also hold medical
degrees, median pay rises to $95,000, according to the survey.
Hands-on Learning at USP
You'll spend a large part of your academic time working with sophisticated computer software and hardware environments. The USP Bioinformatics Program is housed in the new McNeil Science and Technology Building and offers a number of different computer workstations and networking capabilities. The STC provides wireless capability throughout the building and our direct T-1 Internet connection is available from all networked computers on campus, including the residence halls. Other equipment includes:
- Bioinformatics teaching classroom with individual student iMac Core-duo workstations loaded with sophisticated bioinformatics and general use software.
- Bioinformatics research laboratory suite with new iMac computer workstations and a Mac Pro Quad server.
- UNIX-based workstations and related bioinformatic tools.
- A number of Beowulf supercomputer clusters that enables students to perform computationally intensive molecular modeling
- Informatics center where you can use pharmaceutical databases for the analysis of medical practices
- Large PC-based student computer network for classroom and laboratory work
- Automated fluorescent capillary DNA sequencer and microarray chip analyzer
- State-of-the-art digital video center for student use
You'll have access to this equipment in our biotechnology laboratories that provide you the opportunity to perform directed research with any participating faculty member at USP.
Learn from the Best
The faculty in the bioinformatics program includes professors from the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Bioinformatics and Computer Science. The faculty's philosophy is to give you both the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills to be successful in your career and life. Our class size is kept small to encourage your individual learning and development. The bioinformatics faculty advises and mentors students during their entire undergraduate and graduate years. You'll learn from experts such as:
James C. Pierce, Ph.D., director of the bioinformatics program. Dr. Pierce has worked on the Human Genome Project and in the biotechnology industry. He currently has two U.S. patents in genetic engineering. He teaches Genetics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics I (Genomics).
Randy J. Zauhar, Ph.D., coordinator of the graduate bioinformatics program. Prior to coming to USP, Dr. Zauhar was the director of Computational Biology at Penn State University and a software developer in the biotechnology industry. He teaches Biochemistry, Molecular Modeling, Computer-aided Drug Design and Bioinformatics II.
Zhijun Li, PhD., Dr. Li is an Assistant Professor in the bioinformatics program. He performed his post-doctoral work at Vanderbilt University in the field of molecular modeling and proteomics. Dr. Li teaches Bioinformatic Computing and Proteomics.
The USP Bioinformatics Curriculum
The bioinformatics curriculum is divided into three parts at USP:
- Core curriculum. This structured and integrated curriculum gives you a solid background in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics) and a diverse background in humanities, arts, and social sciences.
- In-depth knowledge of computer science and computer programming.
- Immersion into the topics of molecular biology, computer modeling of chemical and biological compounds, and an in-depth study of genomics and bioinformatics. Special emphasis will be on practical skills in computer programming and working with different bioinformatic software and computer platforms.
In addition, you'll have access to a large number of elective courses and can minor in another area if you wish to develop expertise outside of bioinformatics.
First Year
- Orientation
- Introduction Biology I and II
- General Chemistry I and II
- Principles of Chemistry/Lab I and II
- Mathematical Analysis I and II
- College Composition
- Introduction to Literature
- Social Science Elective
- Physical Education
Second Year
- Principles of Organic Chemistry/Lab I and II
- Mathematical Analysis III
- Intellectual Heritage I and II
- Molecular Biology
- Computer Programming I and II
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Bioinformatics Colloquium
Third Year
- Basics of Microbiology
- Biochemistry/Molecular Biology I and II
- Data Structures
- Database Programming
- Physics I and II
- Genetics
- Social Science Elective
Fourth Year
- Seminar I and II
- Bioinformatics I and II
- Proteomics
- Biology or Chemistry Elective
- Electives
For more information…
To learn more about the Bioinformatics program, contact the Admission
Office at 1-888-996-USIP (8747), e-mail admit@usip.edu,
or fill out our online information request form.
Misher
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Bioinformatics and Computer Science
Admission
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