COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGYCOMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY

Elizabeth MurosElizabeth Muros

INTRO TO PERSONAL INTRO TO PERSONAL COMPUTINGCOMPUTING

COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGICAL COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGICAL RESEARCHRESEARCH

Computers have played an important role Computers have played an important role in biological research.in biological research.

Scientists have used both mainframe and Scientists have used both mainframe and personal computers to organize results of personal computers to organize results of their data. Creating databases and new their data. Creating databases and new analytical tools for other scientists to use analytical tools for other scientists to use in their laboratory investigations.in their laboratory investigations.

For example, in the middle of the 1960’s For example, in the middle of the 1960’s the innovative dynamics of cell the innovative dynamics of cell multiplication made use of computer codes multiplication made use of computer codes originally created for Livermore’s weapons originally created for Livermore’s weapons program.program.

The study also contained an resourceful The study also contained an resourceful calculation system with the help of calculation system with the help of computer codes to excite cell activity in an computer codes to excite cell activity in an effort to design an optimal radiation effort to design an optimal radiation dosage program for cancer therapy.dosage program for cancer therapy.

In 1968 an extraordinary combination of In 1968 an extraordinary combination of an electron microscope and a computer an electron microscope and a computer formed remarkable three-dimensional formed remarkable three-dimensional images of organelles with tiny working images of organelles with tiny working parts within the cell nucleus.parts within the cell nucleus.

In addition, using basically the same In addition, using basically the same method the human brain employs to make method the human brain employs to make three dimensional images from two flat three dimensional images from two flat pictures one taken with each eye, the pictures one taken with each eye, the computer took 12 electron microscope computer took 12 electron microscope shots, incorporated the data and created shots, incorporated the data and created three-dimensional images of the three-dimensional images of the organelles that were 50,000 times their organelles that were 50,000 times their actual size.actual size.

A new combined branch of computer A new combined branch of computer technology and biology is called Computational technology and biology is called Computational biology. biology.

It’s a recently new area of research that uses It’s a recently new area of research that uses exciting tools from first principles of quantum exciting tools from first principles of quantum mechanics to describe the electronic structure of mechanics to describe the electronic structure of atoms and their chemical properties.atoms and their chemical properties.

Computational biology allows researchers to Computational biology allows researchers to construct quantum simulations to see within construct quantum simulations to see within biochemical processes to learn how reactions biochemical processes to learn how reactions are taking place on a molecular and amazingly are taking place on a molecular and amazingly an atomic level too.an atomic level too.

Computational biology uses mathematical and Computational biology uses mathematical and informational techniques including statistics to informational techniques including statistics to solve biological problems.solve biological problems.

It does so, by using computer programs or It does so, by using computer programs or mathematical models or creating both.mathematical models or creating both.

One of the major areas of computational biology One of the major areas of computational biology is data mining which includes the analysis of is data mining which includes the analysis of the data collected by several genome projects.the data collected by several genome projects.

Genome projects are scientific projects that are Genome projects are scientific projects that are utilized to map the genome of a living being in utilized to map the genome of a living being in other words the complete set of genes carried other words the complete set of genes carried by this being or virus.by this being or virus.

Finally there is the potential to understand living Finally there is the potential to understand living organisms as complex dynamic systems and to organisms as complex dynamic systems and to use large-scale computation to simulate their use large-scale computation to simulate their behavior in new ways that were once behavior in new ways that were once impossible.impossible.

Next generations of supercomputer will make it Next generations of supercomputer will make it possible to move up the biological complexity possible to move up the biological complexity ladder and tackle problems that could not be ladder and tackle problems that could not be solve before.solve before.

The great advantage to computer technology is The great advantage to computer technology is that now much of biology can now begin to be that now much of biology can now begin to be simulated in computers.simulated in computers.

Biological simulations permit for enormous Biological simulations permit for enormous grounds like in the molecular scale the design grounds like in the molecular scale the design of therapeutic drugs, predictions of protein of therapeutic drugs, predictions of protein structure or microscopic exercises like the structure or microscopic exercises like the optimization of the placement of wildlife optimization of the placement of wildlife sanctuaries.sanctuaries.

Administrating the large databases of Administrating the large databases of experimental biological data will also experimental biological data will also necessitate advances in computer memory necessitate advances in computer memory and speeds.and speeds.