Some computational challenges in today's bio-medicine

Abstract

Over the last decade, biology has been rapidly transformed into an information science. Novel high-throughput technologies provide information in a scope that was unimaginable not long ago, and with these data a plethora of computational riddles are emerging. The challenge of deep and integrated computational analysis of diverse biological data, providing meaningful understanding of life processes and principles, is still very far from being answered. If met, this could help improve the quality of life of this and future generations. We shall discuss several such challenges arising in diverse areas of biology and medicine, including analysis and evolution of genetic regulatory networks, disease association, and genome rearrangements. The tension between elegant algorithmics and useful practical solutions will be a common theme in this story. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.