In article <2imvtd$slb at mserv1.dl.ac.uk>
Potter Wickware <wick at netcom.com> writes:
>I think of it as computer management/analysis of bio-databases. I think
>of sequence databases mainly, but I guess the category could also include
>such things as trials data, patient info, etc. The crucial element to my
>thinking is the presence of a database, and probably quite a large one.
This is a very limited view of the subject. There is A LOT of computer
applications in biosciences that is completly unrelated with database
management and alignment of strings.
My work is related with simulations of the dynamics of biochemical systems. I
do not deal with databases (not even small), I do not deal with trials data,
patient info, etc. nor do I even want to think about sequences (let alone use
them). Another thing I know is that what I do is certainly only a small area
of what the term BIOINFORMATICS might cover.
IMHO, the term is just a trendy word which, if included in a grant proposal,
increases the probability of getting funds. Not much use for anything else.
Pedro Mendes
prm at aber.ac.uk
