MSc Bioinformatics

Over the past few years, the quantity and quality of biological studies have increased immensely with the advanced technologies that are changing the face of Biology and Molecular Studies. Bioinformatics implements Information Technology to study living things at the molecular level. MSc Bioinformatics is an excellent option for those looking to pursue a career in Biomedical and Bioengineering. Bioinformatics is a field designed for professional researchers and scientists who have the hunger to explore various aspects of Biology. If you are looking to pursue a career in Bioinformatics, here is a blog that will walk you through the various aspects of MSc Bioinformatics along with the top colleges offering this course around the world.

MSc Bioinformatics Highlights

Course type	Post Graduate
Duration	2 years
Examination Type	Semester wise
Eligibility	Bachelor’s degree with science stream
Admission process	Entrance exam
Course Fee	INR 1,000 – INR 4 lakhs
Average Salary (per month)	INR 3 lakhs – INR 10 lakhs

What is MSc Bioinformatics?

MSc Bioinformatics is a 2-year full-time postgraduate course which can be pursued by students after a bachelor’s degree in various backgrounds including Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, etc. MSc Bioinformatics provides students with theoretical and practical training in the area of Statistics, Molecular Biology, Information Technology and Bioinformatics. The course aims at providing students with knowledge of multidisciplinary fields such as Proteomics, Genomics, Metabolic Pathway Engineering, Protein Engineering, Pharmacogenomics, Discovery of New Drugs, Vaccines, Diagnosis and Agro-Biotechnology that constitute a core part of Bioinformatics. 

Bioinformatics utilizes computer technologies to collect, organize and arrange biological data used in the field of Evolutionary Biology. It develops databases for analysis of various biological molecular organisms. It allows us to create a comprehensive database of biological and health information which can be useful to operate tests and theories for generating solutions to medical problems that affect us. MSc Bioinformatics can provide students with essential knowledge of Bioinformatics that can help them explore career opportunities in both the public and private sectors globally. The course can provide students with strong critical thinking skills and analytical skills to prepare them to enter the research domain of Bioinformatics as well. 

MSc Bioinformatics Specializations

Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary Biology is a sub-field of Biology which focuses on evolutionary processes of a range of species. It studies the evolution of a single organism moving towards the changes in the characteristics of a species over several generations along with the process of natural selection. MSc Bioinformatics provides students with an in-depth knowledge of the science behind evolution and the changes that have been observed over the years. Students get to learn about the history of evolution, coherent diseases, research on genes, etc. 

Protein Modelling

Proteins have specific functions in our bodies that are determined by the DNA sequences. In MSc Bioinformatics, you will be studying different theories that can help analyze various proteins and their functions. The course helps students understand the development of diseases in living organisms. Students learn about the protein structure in various living organisms and are provided with special techniques to predict the abnormalities at the time of diseases. 

Genome Mapping

This is another essential of Bioinformatics which is frequently used for scientific research. Genome maps are useful in locating genes in living organisms. Genome mapping aims to increase the efficiency for better and higher productivity. Students will learn about various mapping processes for locating genes effectively. 

Chemoinformatics

Chemoinformatics is one of the most important parts of Bioinformatics, it involves the use of computer technologies along with Chemistry. It aims to develop methods that can help in evolving the chemical information to find a relationship between properties of compound and structure. Students get to learn about various techniques which are used by pharmaceutical and chemical companies during the process of drug discovery and medical developments. 

Why Study MSc Bioinformatics?

There are several reasons to pursue a master’s degree in bioinformatics. The following are some of the benefits of pursuing an MSc in Bioinformatics:

• An M.Sc program allows students to expand their expertise in a certain field.
• The course enables students to concentrate in certain disciplines.
• M.sc. degrees help students advance in their careers.
• Students are taught by cutting-edge experts and have hands-on experience in ongoing research.
• This seminar will cover new and existing ways for interpreting massive amounts of data generated by genome sequencing.
• People with bioinformatics expertise are in high demand in the job market.
• Major pharmaceutical, biotech, and software firms are looking for bioinformatics individuals with expertise in dealing with large volumes of biological and healthcare data.

MSc Bioinformatics Eligibility

The qualifying criteria for MSC Bioinformatics vary per college, however the following are the most typical requirements:

• Students must get a minimum of 50% in a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised college.
• Science must be a primary subject for students.
• In any of the topics, students are not permitted to have a receptacle. In all disciplines and semesters, he or she must be clear.

MSc Bioinformatics Entrance Exams

Exam name	Exam date
BHU UET	June/ July 2022
PUBDET	2nd week of August, 2022
APU UG NET	19th December 2021
UPSEE	Last week of June 2022
TS EAMCET	1st to 2nd week of July 2022

MSc Bioinformatics Syllabus

Semester 1	Semester 2
Basic mathematics	Molecular biology
Computer fundamentals	Bioinformatics
Cell developmental biology	Internet and web based programming
Biomolecules	Object oriented programming
Practical	Design and analysis of algorithms
–	Practical
Semester 3	Semester 4
Data management system	Project work
Bioinformatics I	–
Bioinformatics II	–
Recombinant JAVA programming	–
JAVA programming	–
Practical	–

Top Books for MSc Bioinformatics

BOOKS	AUTHORS
Nursing Informatics and the foundation of knowledge	Kathleen Mastrian
Molecular Data Analysis using R	CsabaOrtutay
Bioinformatics Algorithms, Vol. II	Pavel Pevzner
Concepts in bioinformatics and genomics	Jamil Momand
Bioinformatics and computational biology in drug discovery and development	William T. Loging
Effective Python development For Biologists	Dr Martin Jones

Top Colleges Aborad

Here is a list of top colleges offering MSc Bioinformatics:

• University of Glasgow
• La Trobe University
• The University of Adelaide
• Cardiff University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Queen’s University Belfast
• University of Bradford
• The University of Queensland
• The Australian National University
• Teesside University 
• George Washington University
• University of Auckland

MSc Bioinformatics Top Colleges in India

College Name	Location	Average Annual Fees
Stella Maris College	Chennai	INR 15,000
Goswami Ganesh Dutt Sanatan Dharama college	Chandigarh	INR 7,833
DAV College	Chandigarh	INR 58,880
Manipal Academy of Higher Education	Manipal	INR 1.35 lakhs
Nirmala College for Women	Coimbatore	INR 2,855
Sri Krishna Arts and Science College	Coimbatore	INR 16,000
Amity University	Noida	INR 1.44 lakhs
Jaipur National University	Jaipur	INR 85,000
Hindustan college of Arts and Science	Chennai	INR 18,500
JSS Academy of Higher Education	Mysore	INR 44,590

MSc Bioinformatics Jobs

Job profiles	Average annual salary
Bioinformatics software developer	INR 5.01 lakhs
Research scientist	INR 6.70 lakhs
Network administrator	INR 3.56 lakhs
Computational biologist	INR 2.31 lakhs
Database programmer	INR 4.57 lakhs

Top recruiters 

Roche	Qiagen
Thermofisher Scientific	GVK Biosciences
Agilent Technology Inc	Dassault Systems
Eurofins Scientific	Strand Life Sciences
Innoplexus	Systems Scientific

MSc Bioinformatics Scope

Students with an MSc in Bioinformatics have a number of options following graduation, whether it’s for further education or a profession. Many people pursue further education to have a better grasp of the courses or to conduct research on a specific issue linked to MSc Bioinformatics. Following MSC Bioinformatics, the following higher study choices are available:

• M.Phil
• PhD in Bioinformatics
• MSC in mathematics / science
• UGC NET/SET for junior research fellowship/lecturer ship

Database design and management, proteomics, pharmacology, and other areas of specialisation are available following MSC Bioinformatics.

FAQs

We hope that this article on MSc Bioinformatics helped solve some of your confusions. If you’re planning to pursue a master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Leverage Edu experts can help you find a suitable college that will equip you with the necessary skills and exposure for beginning a great career in Bioinformatics and Bioscience.