Academic Calendar - 2025
Western University Academic Calendar. - 2025
Medical Bioinformatics
General topics in medical bioinformatics, including public databases, bioinformatic data formats, sequence comparison and alignment, and next-generation sequence processing (mapping, de novo assembly). Labs introduce the command line interface, working within the Linux filesystem, and basic concepts in utilizing open source assets, batch processing and the implementation of bioinformatic workflows.
Antirequisite(s): Computer Science 4461A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2858A/B.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week. This course does not require any prior experience with computer programming.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
Bioinformatic methods for processing, analyzing, and integrating epigenomic data, the additional gene regulatory information beyond gene sequences. Students are introduced to best practices for quality control, regression analyses, differential analysis, and methods for functional enrichment. Data analysis will primarily use the R statistical programming language.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2858A/B; and registration in Year 4 of a BMSc, BHSc, or BSc degree.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
An overview of concepts and applications of techniques in bioinformatics for the study and clinical/public health management of infectious diseases. Students are introduced to the basic analysis of conventional and next-generation sequence data, principles of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference, reconstructing epidemic and evolutionary histories, detecting adaptation, and molecular epidemiology.
Antirequisite(s): Microbiology and Immunology 4750F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; and one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2858A/B.
Pre-or Corequisite(s): One of Medical Bioinformatics 3100A/B, Medical Sciences 3391A/B or Microbiology and Immunology 2500A/B is recommended but not required.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours. Cross-listed with Microbiology and Immunology 4750F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
Basics of data analysis and visualization using the R statistical programming language with a main focus on next generation sequencing (NGS) data. Topics include: fundamentals of NGS technologies; data formats and structures of sequencing data; effective analysis of different types of sequencing data (RNAseq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq) using R.
Antirequisite: the former Medical Health Informatics 4850G.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B,
Statistical Sciences 2858A/B; and registration in Year 4 of a BMSc, BHSc, or BSc degree.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
A major research project in medical bioinformatics emphasizing study design, data collection and analyses, and interpretation of results. Students select a data analysis project from a list provided by the department and are matched with a computational supervisor to perform applied bioinformatics research.
Antirequisite(s): Anatomy and Cell Biology 4985E, Biochemistry 4484E, Biochemistry 4985E, Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4900E, Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4985E, Medical Biophysics 4985E, Medical Sciences 4990E, Microbiology and Immunology 4985E, One Health 4985E, Pathology 4985E, Physiology and Pharmacology 4985E, the former Anatomy and Cell Biology 4480E, the former Biochemistry 4483E, the former Chemical Biology 4500E, the former Medical Bioinformatics 4980E, the former Medical Biophysics 4970E, the former Medical Biophysics 4971E, the former Microbiology and Immunology 4970E, the former One Health 4980E, the former Pathology 4980E, the former Physiology and Pharmacology 4980E.
Prerequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 3100A/B; and registration in Year 4 of the Honours Specialization in Medical Bioinformatics.
Corequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 4986Y.
Extra Information: 15 hours / week.
Course Weight: 1.00
Return to top
This course explores the foundations of investigative research in Medical Bioinformatics, with emphasis on research integrity and responsible conduct, research methodology, emerging methods, and critical evaluation of scientific literature. Students will develop proficiency in communicating findings through academic formats, while fostering skills required for responsible research in Medical Bioinformatics.
Prerequisite(s): Registration in Year 4 of the Honours Specialization in Medical Bioinformatics.
Corequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 4985E.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
Medical Bioinformatics
General topics in medical bioinformatics, including public databases, bioinformatic data formats, sequence comparison and alignment, and next-generation sequence processing (mapping, de novo assembly). Labs introduce the command line interface, working within the Linux filesystem, and basic concepts in utilizing open source assets, batch processing and the implementation of bioinformatic workflows.
Antirequisite(s): Computer Science 4461A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2858A/B.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week. This course does not require any prior experience with computer programming.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
Bioinformatic methods for processing, analyzing, and integrating epigenomic data, the additional gene regulatory information beyond gene sequences. Students are introduced to best practices for quality control, regression analyses, differential analysis, and methods for functional enrichment. Data analysis will primarily use the R statistical programming language.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2858A/B; and registration in Year 4 of a BMSc, BHSc, or BSc degree.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
An overview of concepts and applications of techniques in bioinformatics for the study and clinical/public health management of infectious diseases. Students are introduced to the basic analysis of conventional and next-generation sequence data, principles of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference, reconstructing epidemic and evolutionary histories, detecting adaptation, and molecular epidemiology.
Antirequisite(s): Microbiology and Immunology 4750F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; and one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2858A/B.
Pre-or Corequisite(s): One of Medical Bioinformatics 3100A/B, Medical Sciences 3391A/B or Microbiology and Immunology 2500A/B is recommended but not required.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours. Cross-listed with Microbiology and Immunology 4750F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
Basics of data analysis and visualization using the R statistical programming language with a main focus on next generation sequencing (NGS) data. Topics include: fundamentals of NGS technologies; data formats and structures of sequencing data; effective analysis of different types of sequencing data (RNAseq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq) using R.
Antirequisite: the former Medical Health Informatics 4850G.
Prerequisite(s): Biology 2581A/B; one of Biology 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B,
Statistical Sciences 2858A/B; and registration in Year 4 of a BMSc, BHSc, or BSc degree.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours per week.
Course Weight: 0.50
Return to top
A major research project in medical bioinformatics emphasizing study design, data collection and analyses, and interpretation of results. Students select a data analysis project from a list provided by the department and are matched with a computational supervisor to perform applied bioinformatics research.
Antirequisite(s): Anatomy and Cell Biology 4985E, Biochemistry 4484E, Biochemistry 4985E, Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4900E, Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4985E, Medical Biophysics 4985E, Medical Sciences 4990E, Microbiology and Immunology 4985E, One Health 4985E, Pathology 4985E, Physiology and Pharmacology 4985E, the former Anatomy and Cell Biology 4480E, the former Biochemistry 4483E, the former Chemical Biology 4500E, the former Medical Bioinformatics 4980E, the former Medical Biophysics 4970E, the former Medical Biophysics 4971E, the former Microbiology and Immunology 4970E, the former One Health 4980E, the former Pathology 4980E, the former Physiology and Pharmacology 4980E.
Prerequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 3100A/B; and registration in Year 4 of the Honours Specialization in Medical Bioinformatics.
Corequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 4986Y.
Extra Information: 15 hours / week.
Course Weight: 1.00
Return to top
This course explores the foundations of investigative research in Medical Bioinformatics, with emphasis on research integrity and responsible conduct, research methodology, emerging methods, and critical evaluation of scientific literature. Students will develop proficiency in communicating findings through academic formats, while fostering skills required for responsible research in Medical Bioinformatics.
Prerequisite(s): Registration in Year 4 of the Honours Specialization in Medical Bioinformatics.
Corequisite(s): Medical Bioinformatics 4985E.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.