Preface (Translated)
In the preface to the fourth edition of the book Bioinformatics, Philip E. Bourne carefully chooses the word synergy to define Bioinformatics. When we look at the history of the field, we find a relationship—perhaps a synergistic one—between scientific experimentation, biological data, computing, and technological development. Others, however, view this dynamic as a form of “healthy competition,” where each step taken, each piece of knowledge generated within any of these components, drives the advancement of the others.
Regardless of the choice of a defining term for Bioinformatics, we can observe what the advances in this field have brought us. Through its interdisciplinary nature and reliance on the integration of different areas and skills, we see the sequencing of multiple genomes in a matter of minutes at decreasing costs; the ability to analyze and integrate molecular mechanisms into their metabolic pathways, the cells where they are found, and their effects on individuals within a population; the development of computational solutions for biologically-driven problems, improving the reliability of these solutions in practice. These are just a few examples of the many achievements we can attribute to the efforts of scientists involved in Bioinformatics, which, thanks to them, continues to grow.
We organized this book with the goal of bringing students and professionals from biology, computing, and related fields closer to Bioinformatics, offering an overview of its concepts and applications through the expertise of professors and researchers from the diverse areas that constitute it. We divided the book into two sections: Computational Foundations and Applications. In the first part, readers will find technical explanations of computational methodologies and approaches, followed by examples of how these are applied in academic research. Additionally, the book presents an up-to-date and illustrative reference to the Bioinformatics literature.
We hope this book further stimulates interest in Bioinformatics, and serves both as an example and a theoretical reference for the important role this field has played—and will continue to play—in scientific research, as well as for its ongoing potential.