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Understanding Bioinformatics Paperback – 6 September 2007
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Suitable for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates, Understanding Bioinformatics provides a definitive guide to this vibrant and evolving discipline. The book takes a conceptual approach. It guides the reader from first principles through to an understanding of the computational techniques and the key algorithms. Understanding Bioinformatics is an invaluable companion for students from their first encounter with the subject through to more advanced studies.
The book is divided into seven parts, with the opening part introducing the basics of nucleic acids, proteins and databases. Subsequent parts are divided into 'Applications' and 'Theory' Chapters, allowing readers to focus their attention effectively. In each section, the Applications Chapter provides a fast and straightforward route to understanding the main concepts and 'getting started'. Each of these is then followed by Theory Chapters which give greater detail and present the underlying mathematics. In Part 2, Sequence Alignments, the Applications Chapter shows the reader how to get started on producing and analyzing sequence alignments, and using sequences for database searching, while the next two chapters look closely at the more advanced techniques and the mathematical algorithms involved. Part 3 covers evolutionary processes and shows how bioinformatics can be used to help build phylogenetic trees. Part 4 looks at the characteristics of whole genomes. In Parts 5 and 6 the focus turns to secondary and tertiary structure – predicting structural conformation and analysing structure-function relationships. The last part surveys methods of analyzing data from a set of genes or proteins of an organism and is rounded off with an overview of systems biology.
The writing style of Understanding Bioinformatics is notable for its clarity, while the extensive, full-color artwork has been designed to present the key concepts with simplicity and consistency. Each chapter uses mind-maps and flow diagrams to give an overview of the conceptual links within each topic.
- ISBN-100815340249
- ISBN-13978-0815340249
- PublisherGarland Science
- Publication date6 September 2007
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions21.59 x 2.54 x 27.31 cm
- Print length796 pages
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Review
'Congratulations on a fine book! I do not think I have seen such a comprehensive text on bioinformatics algorithms and techniques before. I think this will be an invaluable resource for the bioinformatics community and researchers of neighbouring disciplines.' - Jaap Heringa, Free University, Amsterdam
'This is very well done. Compared to other competing textbooks, your book will be probably the first one that explains gene finding in detail.' - Sun Kim, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
‘…provides an outstanding introduction to the main bioinformatics problems and tools, well-balanced between applications to biological problems and theory behind data processing methods… an excellent and updated book for students of Bioinformatics’ Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine
Review
'Congratulations on a fine book! I do not think I have seen such a comprehensive text on bioinformatics algorithms and techniques before. I think this will be an invaluable resource for the bioinformatics community and researchers of neighbouring disciplines.' - Jaap Heringa, Free University, Amsterdam
'This is very well done. Compared to other competing textbooks, your book will be probably the first one that explains gene finding in detail.' - Sun Kim, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
‘…provides an outstanding introduction to the main bioinformatics problems and tools, well-balanced between applications to biological problems and theory behind data processing methods… an excellent and updated book for students of Bioinformatics’ Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine
From the Publisher
Marketa Zvelebil is the team leader of cancer informatics at The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre.
Jeremy O. Baum is an Honorary Teaching Fellow in the School of Crystallography, Birkbeck College.
About the Author
Marketa Zvelebil is the team leader of cancer informatics at The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre.
Jeremy O. Baum is an Honorary Teaching Fellow in the School of Crystallography, Birkbeck College.
Product details
- Publisher : Garland Science (6 September 2007)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 796 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0815340249
- ISBN-13 : 978-0815340249
- Dimensions : 21.59 x 2.54 x 27.31 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 641,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 325 in Biotechnology (Books)
- 548 in Biology Textbooks
- 842 in Genetics (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews
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- D. SheaReviewed in the United States on 11 April 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for any bioinformatician
Verified PurchaseThe topics covered in this book have been of great benefit to me in my Graduate studies in bioinformatics. The layout and presentation of material is clear and concise and delves into detail where necessary. I'm not a big user of mind-mapping, but the topic maps that precede each chapter allowed me to quickly tie together key concepts and my courses covering the material have allowed me to rely on this book as a supplmental reference where necessary to help me with material I needed further expansion on.
I found the coverage of phylogeny and tree construction to be of great benefit and I regularly use this book as a go to reference at work when I need to recall or review a topic.
If you are bioinformatician or a computer scientist who needs a good reference for the key concepts applied to everyday bioinformatics, or just an individual interested in learning about bioinformatics concepts, this is a good book for learning bioinformatics theory.
- edoulesReviewed in Canada on 16 February 2010
5.0 out of 5 stars An essential companion for classic bioinformatics
Verified PurchaseFrom the ground up, dealing with topics from classic sequence alignment to phylogenies to structure prediction-- this textbook may be the only one you need to understand and deploy bioinformatics algorithms in your software. Also recommended for general knowledge content for ones who use software and don't need to develop it.
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Jerome MassotReviewed in France on 2 April 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars une bonne introduction
Verified PurchaseBon livre couvrant les notions de base de la machinerie cellulaire et des applications informatiques. Couplé avec un manuel de python ou de R, ca peut faire une bonne lecture pour l'amateur ou le néophyte éclairé qui veut comprendre et un peu appliquer cette branche de l'informatique.
- P. PagelReviewed in Germany on 30 January 2008
5.0 out of 5 stars Best undergraduate textbook on bioinformatics on the market
Verified PurchaseAlthough I just got my copy of Understanding Bioinformatics and haven't finished reading, I dare to step forward with this enthusiastic review based on what I have seen so far.
With this new book I have finally found the one text that covers 90% of the material we teach in introductory classes. In contrast to many other books, the reader constantly feels that the text was written with the student in mind: Concepts are explained quite clearly and are backed by the required math and algorithms. The Illustrations are excellent and truly help the novice to grasp the material. Each chapter starts with a mind map of the topic to come. This small feature allows the student to get an early overview.
Teachers will appreciate the availability of the artwork from the book through the books web site.
Conclusion: Currently by far the best introductory textbook on bioinformatics. Strongly recommended!