My research program is centered around bioinformatics and computational biology - in a broad sense, the development and use of sophisticated and efficient computational tools for the analysis of biological data. Most of what we do can be classified as comparative, functional, and evolutionary genomics. This usually entails the comparative analysis of many DNA and protein sequences from one or more organisms, to address questions like:
I am an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University. I received an Honours B.Sc. in Biology (minor in Computing Science) from Dal in 1998, and a Ph.D. in Biology (Bioinformatics) from the University of Ottawa in 2003. After a three-year postdoctoral stint at the University of Queensland in Australia, I came back to take up my current position in September 2006.
These broad questions need to be addressed with a raft of tools and statistical techniques, which is where bioinformatics and computational biology come in. The goal of these disciplines is to build sophisticated and efficient algorithms that address the problems inherent in biological sequence data.
More details about my research can be viewed at the Research page.I have taught the following courses so far at Dal:
CSCI 4181 / CSCI 6802 - Algorithms in Bioinformatics
This course is available to undergraduate students in CS who have completed CSCI 3110 and graduate students in CS, Stats, Biology, or Biochemistry with instructor's consent. In exceptional cases I will also consider fourth-year Bio* or Statistics students if there is an appropriate course background and sufficiently good performance.Although they run in consecutive terms and make for a nice progression, it is by no means necessary to have taken CSCI 4180 or CSCI 6801 before taking my course. I assume no biological background, and the structure and material in the course is quite different from 4180.
Some interesting courses where I have guest lectured:
I have given teaching lectures in other places as well, including the Australian Winter School in Mathematics and Computational Biology in Brisbane, and BioInfoSummer in Canberra, Australia. You can have a look at my 2004 presentation on biological applications of Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms, and view some of the other excellent presentations that were given in 2004 and 2005.
Pattern analysis lectures in 2004 Winter School
EMU is a modified version of the NeuroGadgets Inc. Bioinformatics Web Service originally developed by Robert L. Charlebois at the University of Ottawa. The service allows detailed comparative and evolutionary genomic queries to be carried out on a set of sequenced microbial genomes.
EMU and its successor will ultimately be served from Dalhousie, but in the meantime can be accessed via the Australian Research Council Centre in Bioinformatics site.
I am always interested in hearing from prospective graduate students with an interest in bioinformatics. A Computer Science background is ideal, but opportunities for co-supervision across departments exist, as well as the Master's in Bioinformatics program. At Dal you can approach bioinformatics from several different directions, including computer science, mathematics and statistics, and the biosciences. Feel free to contact me for more information about possible projects and other excellent researchers at Dal.
Undergraduate students who would like to learn bioinformatics have several different paths available: you can enrol in the Bachelor of Computer Science or Bachelor of Informatics program through the Faculty of Computer Science. Bioinformatics can also be approached through biosciences or maths programs as well: again, contact me if you would like more information about who to talk to or which courses to take.
I am also the undergraduate Co-op advisor for the Faculty of Computer Science. If you interested in Co-op, or are in the program and need me to approve something, you can contact me directly with questions. For appointments and general you should first get in touch with Michelle Mahoney, the Undegraduate Administrator for Computer Science. Michelle is the nerve center of the operation and will be able to point you in the right direction, and arrange appointments, provide forms, etc.
Links: This section will eventally contain information and useful links about bioinformatics. To get things started, here are a couple of links to sites with job listings (academic and industry, pick your poison):
Mailing address:
Dr. Robert G. Beiko
Faculty of Computer Science
Dalhousie University
6050 University Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada B3H 1W5
+1 902 494-8043 (office)
+1 902 492-1517 (fax)
Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand, February 2007
