Going from CS to bioinformatics

[@OMGenomics]

Interested in career coaching? Book a one-on-one call with Maria: omgenomics.com/work-with-us/?yt=cs-to-bfx

[@rebelScience]

I was a pure CS, a programmer for many (around 10) years, with zero biology knowledge. Maria's channel and advice helped me to start my transition into Bioinformatics and start my own Bioinformatics channel. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I will also make a video of how I started my transition and resources I used for self-education. Thank you again, Maria, so so much!

[@OMGenomics]

Your channel is great! And you are so active in making new videos, which is very impressive. It’s really nice to hear that my work on this channel was helpful in your journey, since that’s a major ripple effect!

[@rebelScience]

@@OMGenomics Yep! It is all your fault :) I also managed to build a community around my videos and articles in Telegram/Matrix chat rooms. Trying to popularize Bioinformatics and just help others to get started. Please, keep up what you are doing.

[@matt-g-recovers]

Hey! I actually watch your channel also lol

[@matt-g-recovers]

Also a 10+ year software engineer with a biology obsession.

[@muntahafaiaaz]

@@matt-g-recovers is it really a good career move to shift to bioinformatics from a CS background?

[@altafsaleem5762]

Another option is doing a 'Masters in Bioinformatics' degree, it is a 2 year degree offered by a lot of universities at least in Melbourne Australia. The prerequisite is that one must already have undergraduate degree in Biology, Mathematics or Computer Science. The degree includes Biology, Probability and Statistics courses for people joining from Computer science stream.

[@cgpcosmad]

I am a computer engineer with more than twelve years of experience. (none in bio) I month ago, a pancreatic cancer was detected in a very importan person in my life.. I did not that this field of computer exists and from now on I will do my bit to help in this field. Thanks for this kind of videos.

[@The-U]

Can you explain the differences in these job titles: bioinformatics engineer, bioinformatics scientist, software engineer (in a biotech company), bioinformatics analyst, and machine-learning positions?

[@artemabovian4840]

Yessssssss

[@cristianpadron853]

Thanks a lot for theses videos. It is really hard the transition from Biology to CS. Long time ago, I didn't know anything about bioinformatics and now I'm starting a PhD in bioinformatics/Machine Learning/scRNA-seq and I lOVE it!! Great to see you back Maria :D

[@ΓεώργιοςΣωφρονιάδης]

I have been started my master degree on Bioinformatics and Neuroinformatic. My bachelor is in Computer Science and i feel very excited studying on Bioinformatics. The most exciting and interesting field is that we can combine Computer science and Biology as well.Very helpfull channell! Thanks ! good luck Maria!!

[@valeriuok]

With just a CS/math background I was lucky to find a job at the Sanger Institute, working on samtools, bcftools and htslib. I went for the impact and purpose and learnt the bio/genetics alongside. Now I would advise people to take some formal courses (online or on-demand) to fill in the domain gaps. For the CS people that want to get in the field, there are tons of open source projects that you can hop along and contribuite to. The openness is one of the best bits of bioinformatics. You can just go to one of the repos and start fixing the issues or adding in new requested features.

[@nenecoleao]

Thanks for the video, more specially for the last part. "You can do hard things!" is a really important realization! It is good to remind ourselves that we already won some battles, and learn a new skill is just a new one!

[@Garcia-elf]

A video on making the shift to industry would be awesome!

[@adamhall5332]

I second this. Comparing academic environment vs industry?

[@OMGenomics]

I like that idea! Adding it to my backlog :)

[@healthy5659]

@@OMGenomics I also think this is a great idea! It would also be interesting for someone like me who is doing the opposite - industry to to just starting academia

[@billy818]

Oh great, i commented something along these lines on one of your last videos. Great to hear an indepth answer thanks for the vid.

[@ioan_jivan]

I really like the way you put it: "Something I can think about while I shower" (not exact words:P). That's a great way to figure out if you like something.

[@wayde5545]

I have heard it's easier to start with CS then move to bioinformatics. I started with biotech studies but am now studying structural bioinformatics. I am struggling with the computer side of things! But I shall persist!

[@oscar_bio]

Hey Maria. I'm a biologist and thanks to your videos I started programming 6 months ago and I really enjoy it. I started with java, tho😂😂

[@Chaosdude341]

Looking forward to listening when I get around to it. Glad to see you're uploading again!

[@rupamkundu3574]

Thank you so much Maria for making such an insightful video. This video is really life changing!

[@ma7835]

Thank you so much for this channel !!! I am very happy to find a girl in Bioinformatics and share her knowledge about this field, I am the only girl bioinformatician at my work. I am a bioinformatician with Bachelor CS and Masters in Bioinformatics. But I feel I am not strong in CS since my degree was on 2007 and a LOT of things has changed and my MCs 2017 was a struggle between learning about the new field "ML" and learning genetics. I just want to say your channel is a big support. Please take about best algorithms/codes/tools.

[@muntahafaiaaz]

is it really a good career move to shift from CS to bioinformatics? im speaking money here hehehe

[@wayde5545]

@@muntahafaiaaz nope

[@tinacole1450]

This is easier for coders....but non coders is a super struggle.,. There needs to be a community for this as well. You all already speak coding language, just not medical/biological terminology. Both sides are needed.

[@ber5897]

Great information and food for thought. Thank you for putting this together.

[@adennis200]

Im struggling a lot to find myself and find what kind of careeer path would be fulfilling. But i always had a fear of cancer and somehow that got me interested in that field. Now I haven't done much yet except for watching a few videos and reading a few articles about it but what I can say is that I'd love to persue a field where I can help people. That's why I'm considering the option of becoming a bioinformaticion in the oncology field. Doing cancer research is something I can imagine as super fulfilling Im just not sure yet whether my interest is just a temporary hype or something that will develop into a passion

[@yves.dantas]

Good topic. At my university we got a Bioinformatics PhD program wich is offered by the university's IT Institute.

[@limodriver3478]

Great to see you back Maria :)

[@erikshure360]

According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, heavy stress can shorten your lifespan by about 3 years.

[@BretMiller]

Your videos are amazingly helpful! Thank you so much for making them. I have been working in Information Technology for 20 years. I have a masters in information systems management. I am trying to get more into the Healthcare side of software development. I am currently working on a master of science in health information management. I am thinking of going for a post masters certificate in health informatics after I finish my current masters. I also work part time as an EMT on an ambulance where I get a lot of hands on clinical experience. I am trying to decide if I should go for the post masters certificate in informatics or do a PhD. It sounds like the PhD is better for a professional researcher but maybe the certificate would be better for a developer who wants to work on Healthcare software. I want to keep going with my part time ems job too because hands on experience is valuable too. Imagine someone with lots of paper on the wall but they've never taken someone's blood pressure or seen the inside of a hospital

[@OMGenomics]

Sounds like you will do well simply because you are willing to put in tons of work :) Good luck!

[@RMarutesh]

Hello mam, currently I am studying engineering in computer science for me it is possible to join bioinformatics after my engineering in cs because I love to be in the biology field.please help me mam this information is very precious for me

[@usmanijaz964]

I really like your videos. I have not seen a channel made such type of content. Could you please make a tutorial on GWAS using python and R..?? Thankyou.

[@optimizacioneningenieria3385]

Thank you for the video. It's very interesting content!

[@FieldsDynamic]

Hi, Nice to see you again, love your topics...

[@angieeeigna]

Are there online biology courses I can take that will be acceptable on my resumé?

[@Realweight]

Thank you so much ma'am I have been looking for an answer to this question for a while

[@irr_bloss]

Hello! Do you know any people who got the bioinformatics job without having degree in any subject, just self-educating and having commercial experience in software? Are there much barriers there are for people who didn't finish formal education, replacing it with commercial work experience?

[@OMGenomics]

I don’t know anyone in bioinformatics without at least a bachelors degree, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. As I say in this video, you can do software engineering at a biotech company and work your way closer to the research if you can and want to.

[@Tany12great]

That was very helpful. Thank You ! Also I was doing the BioInformatics Specialization on Coursera. Do you think that would be enough for me to get in the Industry ?

[@kgrandchamp]

Thanks Maria! Oh if only you had done this video and I had seen it 30 years ago! haha! 😂🌿

[@rgb5521]

Great video. Thanks!

[@genuineindian9505]

CS Health informatics scope?????

[@neginheidarifard9508]

thank you so much this was amasing,but I steel cant decide to choose cs or bioinformatics,I have bachlour in statistics and I love machin learning and bioinformatics to,so I hope tu khow wich one has more income?

[@taotaotan5671]

I am a biologist and I hate to compete with CS folks...lol

[@adamhall5332]

Same. I feel like learning biology after code is easier than the reverse. But maybe I'm just biased.

[@comradepeter87]

As a CS major, I'm glad to hear this *evil laughter*

[@DavidVonR]

Could an applied mathematician who has studied mathematical biology and programming languages work in bioinformatics? I love to study mathematical biology, but I hesitate to pursue the subject t because I fear there's no money in the subject.

[@oxsygiandi9887]

Thanks you, it's awesome Maria. Could I send you an email when I have any question about bioinformatics?

[@rimonmikhael]

I have master in cs and there is a grad certificate for bioinfomatrics in my school is it feasible to go for it . Thank u guys and gals for any feedback

[@sudhirkumarpal5925]

Hello Maria, I would like to collaborate with OmGenomics. Kindly provide me information, how it can be done? Thanks and regards

[@OMGenomics]

Sorry OMGenomics is a side project, and I don’t have time for actual research or collaborations.

[@sherin47]

Is bioinformatics helpful in clinical research?

[@wayde5545]

yes

[@ExtremeNitro1]

Is bioinformatics hard compared to data science/ml

[@wayde5545]

Not really. Do you like biology? If yes, you should do great!

[@JesusChristTheOnlyTruth]

Hiiiii! I have a question. I am a CS graduate. But I am now very insterested to study in cancer biology and immunology. Do I have to do another major? As I am an international student, it’s a big deal, because a lot of money is required. What should I do now? I really want to study cancer biology :(

[@MariaNattestad]

As a CS graduate your best bet would probably be to find a bioinformatics PhD program where some of the professors available as advisors do research in cancer biology or immunology. All programs are different, so do your research and find one that takes CS majors yet has at least 2-3 good professors with the right kinds of research you are interested in. But you definitely don't need to start over with a biology bachelors.

[@JesusChristTheOnlyTruth]

@@MariaNattestad thank you so so much Maria 😍😍 I will do some research and I will let you know.

[@shradhajain858]

Yes, a CS background can get into bioinformatics.

[@niharikag4472]

I'm final year student in food science and nutrition. And interested in health care informatics. Is their any contribution of food science or nutrition in informatics.

[@amiramiri9245]

I'm a third year undergrad molecular bio student and I dont feel going to genomics sciences I'd rather walk on something like immunology for grad school Is there any chance an immunologist may contribute to bioinformatcs in youre opinion then get a job in biotech or pharma?

[@OMGenomics]

Immunology is super important, so go for it! You can always make sure to get the coding skills whether as courses or on the side, and then those skills will probably be useful in your immunology research and future career.