Opinion
Bioinformatics- Is It a ‘Magical’ Research Field?!
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field we all are aware of that. It has grown a lot since the last decade. It is often considered as an adjunctive field of biological research. That is also true because earlier this field was new and hadn’t been explored much. But nowadays, it is not the same anymore.
A panel member and vice-president of IT at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center (dated back to the year 2000), Robert Robbins said that bioinformatics is becoming an independent discipline at a fast rate and “not just an adjunctive to biology“.
This article is about clearing all doubts regarding the existence and research methodology followed in bioinformatics. At first, the research methodology in bioinformatics is no different than any other research field. It requires the same timeline, methodology, concept, and logic that is necessary for all kinds of research.
‘Myths about bioinformatics‘ is an article published earlier in Bioinformatics Review to highlight the common misunderstandings regarding bioinformatics. Besides, there are other things that experimental biological researchers who are new to the field must understand. These things include:
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Bioinformatics is not an adjunctive field to biology.
We solve biological problems using bioinformatics but that doesn’t imply that it is always associated with it.
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Bioinformatics is logical research.
If you are trying to find a solution to the biological problem using bioinformatics, then don’t forget about the logic behind it. It should be reasonable. This field applies the same basic research methodology as the other research field (problem finding, possible methods to solve it, and experiments which in this case are in silico).
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Including bioinformatics improves your paper.
Yes, this is true unless the work is logical, not only to enhance the paper but to provide proofs for your hypothesis or research work. And it applies not only to bioinformatics but to other fields as well.
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Bioinformatics is easy to learn.
Yes, it is unless it is you consider it as a proper research field, not as a complementary field. You might think that it is just about running a few software and a few clicks. But this requires a deep understanding of the concept and software you are going to use, how does its algorithm work.
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Bioinformatics experiments are not criteria less
Like wet lab techniques that experimental researchers perform using various equipment, for example, PCR, protein synthesis, gel electrophoresis, etc., there is a reason and logic behind every experiment. Similarly, bioinformatics experiments require logical thinking and proper methodology. Otherwise, the experiments become meaningless.
Taken altogether, bioinformatics is not a magical technology. It may seem so but this is science, not magic. It follows the same protocol as that of the other research fields. Try to make the best out of it by understanding it deeply.
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