20.453J / 2.771J / HST.958J Biomedical Information Technology (BE.453J)

As taught in: Spring 2005

Level:

Graduate

Instructors:

Prof. C. Forbes Dewey

Color photo of a gene array.

Biomedical technologies like this gene array are fueling rapid growth in sophisticated information systems for medical applications. (Courtesy of the National Institute of Standards and Technology).


Course Description

The objective of this subject is to teach the design of contemporary information systems for biological and medical data. These data are growing at a prodigious rate, and new information systems are required. This subject will cover examples from biology and medicine to illustrate complete life cycle information systems, beginning with data acquisition, following to data storage and finally to retrieval and analysis. Design of appropriate databases, client-server strategies, data interchange protocols, and computational modeling architectures will be covered. Students are expected to have some familiarity with scientific application software and a basic understanding of at least one contemporary programming language (C, C++, Java®, Lisp, Perl, Python, etc.). A major term project is required of all students. Reading is assigned from the contemporary literature, and there is occasional homework.

Technical Requirements

Microsoft® Powerpoint® software is recommended for viewing the .ppt files found on this course site. Free Microsoft® Powerpoint® viewer software can also be used to view the .ppt files.

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