Application of bioinformatics in cancer research

Abstract

Cancer is a disease determined by several genetic and epigenetic alterations. Due to technological advances in the omics disciplines, cancer research is going through a revolution. The technological advances that lead to the post-genome era have allowed molecular biologists to make meticulous studies on the DNA (genome), the mRNA (transcriptome) and the protein sequences (proteome). Initiatives that intend to describe cancer in a global dimension are providing an opportunity for investigators to have more useful data to analyze and integrate in novel ways. Despite the practical difficulties, a growing number of projects are being developed with the aim to integrate information about samples, protocols, and data from multiple sources. Cancer bioinformatics deals with the organization and analysis of the data so that important trends and patterns can be identified-The ultimate goal being the discovery of new therapeutic and/or diagnostic protocols for cancer. In this chapter, we will discuss some aspects of this revolution giving a special emphasis on Bioinformatics. Furthermore, we will discuss how the omics data is being analyzed and used to transform the way cancer patients are treated. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.