Advances in Bioinformatics and Clinical Informatics

Abstract

Need to Analyze Voluminous Data Opens up Exciting Opportunities for Bioinformatics

Genome sequencing and numerous studies related to proteins have left researchers grappling with massive quantities of data that is rapidly approaching a petabyte (over quadrillion bytes). Bioinformatics is fast emerging as the one-stop solution to store, manage, retrieve, organize, compare, and integrate the data all in a single computer. By using databases, tools, algorithms, and interfaces, bioinformatics is proving to be both a cost and time saving solution for handling complex biological information. Moreover, the increasing demand for automation and high throughput screening to study multiple genes and proteins simultaneously opens up additional opportunities for bioinformatics. This is evident from the increasing use of sensitive assay techniques, the integration of multiple techniques into a single platform, and the use of robotics across new age laboratories.

This Technical Insights research service provides a thorough analysis of the latest trends in the fields of bioinformatics and clinical informatics. The study analyzes key applications in different verticals such as basic research, drug discovery, and healthcare applications. In addition to identifying key technology drivers and industry challenges, participants can also identify potential collaborators, stay ahead of the competition, and keep abreast with critical developments.

Increasing Patient Population Drives Demand for Clinical Informatics

The increase in aging population and the consequent rise in patient data are driving healthcare systems, hospitals, and clinical researchers to invest in clinical informatics. With healthcare providers spending between 30 to 60 percent of their time on paperwork, clinical informatics is set to reduce healthcare costs and frequency of medical errors through faster and easier-to-use electronic systems.

For example, electronic medical records (EMR) allow all the information about a patient from disparate clinics and labs to be kept in a single and central record that can move with the patient. Systems such as hospital information systems (HIS) and electronic data management systems (EDMS) also manage these records along with billing and administration. "In search for quicker and more convenient access to critical patient information, researchers are now looking for a virtual clip-board, which can interact with every database and onto which they can post information of any format and type," says the analyst of this research service.

Advances in Bioinformatics Essential to Analyze Huge Data Quantities Derived from Microarrays

The increasing emphasis on understanding the interaction of numerous biomolecules and its impact on health is creating an urgent need for comprehensive bioinformatics solutions. In addition, tools such as microarrays that are used to analyze multiple samples on a single chip generate huge quantities of data in a short span of time thereby necessitating improvements bioinformatics.

Computer clusters and grids are changing the face of both bioinformatics and clinical informatics both of which require high-performance computing and enormous processing power. "Instead of buying one standard high-performance and expensive supercomputer, labs can now use software to link many PCs into powerful local networks, which ultimately proves to be more practical and affordable in the long term," explains the analyst.