Program Overview

Master in Bioinformatics for Health Sciences

The Master in Bioinformatics for Health Sciences is a comprehensive program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the principles and applications of bioinformatics in the health sciences. The program is structured to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze and interpret complex biological data, and to apply this knowledge in a variety of research and clinical settings.

Personalized Tutorial Program

A personalized tutorial program is developed along the following actions:

• A personal interview with each of the new master students at the beginning of the course to advise on the choice of the optional academic year courses.
• The tutorial is extended to optional interviews during the second and third term of the first year, in order to give advice about the final master project.

The tutorial program is not restricted to these activities. It is an open process that varies according to the student's needs.

Curriculum

The curriculum is divided into two years.

First Year

First year students take 3 compulsory courses (15 ECTS) and 9 optional courses (45 ECTS), in such a way that at least they take one course from subjects 1 to 5.

• SUBJECT 1: GENOME BIOINFORMATICS
  • PGB. Principles of Genome Bioinformatics | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | Foundations of protein and DNA sequence analysis and next generation sequencing techniques.
  • Genomes and Systems | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | Genome evolution in the context of NGS data.
  • IEO. Extraction of Information Technologies "OMICS" | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | Introduction to the analysis of data obtained from high-throughput molecular profiling assays.
• SUBJECT 2: MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
  • SBI. Structural Bioinformatics | 5 ECTS credits | 2nd term | The main goal of the course is to learn the basic concepts on the structure of macromolecules.
  • CAD. Computer-Assisted Drug Discovery | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | In modern drug discovery and development, computational methods play a central role.
  • MSI. Molecular Simulations | 5 ECTS credits | 2nd term | Concepts of molecular simulation and its application to computer-assisted drug discovery and design.
• SUBJECT 3: BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS
  • BCO. Elements of Biocomputing | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | The course is aimed at introducing the use of information technologies and computational approaches in biomedical research.
  • GPA. Applied Genomics: Genome-Phenome Analysis for Human Health | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | This subject focuses on the conceptual underpinnings and the bioinformatics tools that are used to learn about the genetic architecture of human interindividual phenotypic differences.
  • AAD. Advanced Analysis of Disease Traits | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | This advanced subject aims to provide researchers & practitioners involved in genetic disease studies with a comprehensive overview of concepts and experimental design.
  • CSB. Computational Systems Biology | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | This course is centered in the understanding of the translation of a biological problem into a mathematical frame.
• SUBJECT 4: ELEMENTS OF PROGRAMMING
  • ALG. Introduction to Algorithmics | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | This course will illustrate the most basic tools and programming concepts using as the main language shell scripting.
  • APA. Advanced Programming, Algorithms and Data Structures | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | This course will cover advanced concepts in algorithm design, data structure and programming.
  • PER. Introduction to PERL | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | This course will introduce the basic elements of programming, using PERL as a vehicular language.
  • DBW. Databases and Web Design | 5 ECTS credits | 2nd term | Development of web based applications and services.
  • PYT. Introduction to Python | 5 ECTS credits | 2nd term | The main goal of the course is to learn the basic concepts on programming with Python.
• SUBJECT 5: BASIC TOOLS IN BIOCOMPUTING
  • IBM. Introduction to Biomedicine | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | This course will introduce the students to the basic principles of genetics, cell biology, molecular biology and main physiological processes.
  • BDA. Biomedical Data Analysis | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | This course will introduce the students in how to use standard statistical methods to analyze Biomedical data.
  • AST. Advanced Statistics | 5 ECTS credits | 3rd term | Advanced Statistics subject is intended to revise important concepts of statistics applied to biomedical and research Data.
  • DMI. Data Mining and Data Integration in Biomedicine | 5 ECTS credits | 2nd term | Data Mining uses algorithms and computational paradigms that allow finding hidden patterns and regularities in the data.
  • MAT. Elements of Mathematics | 5 ECTS credits | 1st term | The aim of the course is to provide the students with the basic tools needed for the correct progress in more advanced courses requiring algebra and calculus.

Second Year

Second year students take 60 ECTS of the compulsory courses from subjects 6 and 7.

• SUBJECT 6: ECONOMICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF RESEARCH
  • SCA. Science in Action | 5 ECTS credits | 1st or 3rd term | Principles of responsible conduct in research and components of good scientific practice.
  • PRO. Design and Management of a Research Project | 15 ECTS credits | 2nd and 3rd term | This course aims at providing the students with some basic knowledge and skills related to creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
• SUBJECT 7: RESEARCH IN BIOINFORMATICS
  • RBI. Research in Bioinformatics | 30 ECTS credits | 1st/2nd/3rd term | Development of a bioinformatics research project in an industrial, academic or clinical environment.
  • MP: Master Completion Project | 10 ECTS credits | 3rd term | Submission of a written paper based on the results obtained in the stage done in the Research in Bioinformatics subject.