guest post from Susanne Cardwell,
Administrative Coordinator for the Applied Computational Genomics Course 

    Bioinformatics, using mathematical modeling, statistics, graphical interfaces, and other devices, makes efficient computing tasks in biology and genetics that would otherwise require terabytes of computing power in order to interpret ( innovation.org, 2009). Some of the functions of bioinformatics include: 

• Analytics on three dimensional protein structures (innovation.org, 2009)
• Computer-aided design of new drugs (innovation.org, 2009)  Determination of gene and drug interaction (innovation.org, 2009)
•  Provision of visualization tools (The MathWorks, 2009)
• Supplication of analytics on genetic sequences
• Comparison of nucleotides or amino acids (The MathWorks, 2009)
• Performance of statistical analysis on genetic data
• Comparison of a wealth of information from various databases of genetic sequences
• Integration of data for gene-based drug development (Ajith, 2003).

With the emphasis on using bioinformatics for gene-based drug development, it comes as no surprise that companies like Human Genome Sciences Inc. (www.hgsi.com) are producing drugs for diseases such as systemic lupus, anthrax inhalation, cancer, chronic coronary heart disease, and diabetes mellitus (Human Genome Sciences, 2009).

Gene-based drug development has been underway for quite some time now, with developments in gene-based cancer treatments from Introgen Therapeutics, Inc., from around 2006, for instance, leading to tumor injections that work today to prevent cancer formations by working on a defective protein (Medical News Today, 2006).

In light of advancements and the growing popularity of gene-based drug developments, another possibility of scientific achievement is just around the corner: cures for disease.

The discovery of cures is the new hype in biological and genetic research. The cure for cancer through biological and genetic research , for instance, is under development; depositing RNAi, which has the capability of turning off genes, delivered by liposomes into cancer cells, holds the promise of curing cancer (Helm, 2008), although the process for this is not yet fully understood.

The enormous computing potential of bioinformatics and the research in gene-based drug development hold the key to bringing forth not only remedies, but also cures for disease.

Ajith. R. (2003, June 9). Bioinformatics: Wave of the future. BioSpectrum. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from http://biospectrumindia.ciol.com/content/careers/10306091.asp  

Helm, J. (2008, January 24). Hope for a gene-based cancer cure, special delivery. The Tyee.  Retrieved December 10, 2009, from http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/01/24/CancerCure/  

Human Genome Sciences. (2009). Great science. Great medicine. Creating breakthrough treatments. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from
http://www.hgsi.com/.

innovation.org. (2009). Bioinformatics. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from
http://www.innovation.org/index.cfm/FutureofInnovation/NextWaveofInnovation/Bioinformatics
 
MarketWatch. (2009, December 10). Human Genome Sciences Inc. Retrieved December
10, 2009, from http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/HGSI  

The MathWorks. (2009). Bioinformatics Toolbox. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/bioinfo/ref/a1052308804.html  

Medical News Today. (2006, Sept. 18). Predictive biomarker test for a gene-based drug. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51957.php