When you have worked through these pages, you should be able to undertake any of the commonest skills in this area, from finding a cDNA sequence, to displaying a protein structure and to picking primers for a PCR reaction. The taught modules follow two themes, Bioinformatics and Computer Science. This course from the University of Manchester, England, provides an introduction to the use of bioinformatics software on the web. It is designed for those already in employment, or for graduate students. The MSc in Bioinformatics at the University of Manchester is well established and leads to a qualification widely recognised in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Students study six taught modules and then undertake a research project.
Participants communicate with the course tutors and with each other using email, bulletin boards and on-line tutorials. They also have access to the Distance Learning Service provided by the University Library. The introductory module, Bioinformatics 1, will next be offered from 25 October 1999. Those successfully completing the module will be eligible for the award of credits towards the MSc degree. The module falls into two parts.