Clinical and translational bioinformatics

This unit equips you with the knowledge and practical skills to apply bioinformatics in key areas such as genomics and transcriptomics, with a strong focus on translational research. You will build foundational coding skills and learn how to work on high-performance computing (HPC) platforms.

Core topics include bioinformatics, biostatistics, experimental design and the use of AI in bioinformatics research. Through these, you will develop the ability to identify, select, and critically evaluate appropriate bioinformatic tools for use across medical research disciplines.

The unit also explores how bioinformatics is applied in practice: from identifying disease biomarkers to support diagnosis and uncovering molecular mechanisms of disease. You will learn from specialist researchers and clinicians actively applying bioinformatics across different fields, with opportunities to review methodological and scientific literature in bioinformatics and disease with a focus on clinical and translational medicine. You will develop an in-depth knowledge of how bioinformatics can be applied to address cutting-edge research questions.

By the end of this unit, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to use coding tools and high-performance computing (HPC) environments, apply bioinformatic methods to real-world clinical datasets, evaluate research and methodologies in bioinformatics, and combine bioinformatics approaches to tackle questions in translational medicine.