U of C approves bioinformatics minor for Fall 2017 semester

By Claudia Wong, November 29 2016 —

The University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine will offer a new minor in bioinformatics starting in Fall 2017.

The new program is a minor in one of the three existing streams in health sciences, bioinformatics, biomedical sciences and health and society. The U of C’s Academic Planning and Priorities Committee (APPC) approved the program at a meeting in October.

The APPC is the final approval authority for the creation of new U of C programs.

Bioinformatics is a term for computational approaches to  biomedical issues like gene sequencing or genetic testing that use math and statistics.

The bioinformatics minor will be available to students in three areas — biological sciences, health sciences and computer sciences. Details of the program or admission requirements have yet to be publicized.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to expand the knowledge base in those three areas, especially as [bioinformatics] is a popular and upcoming area where medicine is going,” Students’ Union Cumming School of Medicine representative Sam Sirianni said.

Sirianni thinks that for students in the other two streams of health sciences, the minor provides an even better opportunity to gain an edge in bioinformational knowledge and be introduced to a new field of research.

“I, as a student, definitely see it as beneficial,” she said.

U of C students can already major in bioinformatics.