Forum:Which master program I shoud go in Molecular biology and genetic or Bioinformatic

Question

[KSA]

Hi everyone, I’m student in molecular biology and genetic bachelor's degree. My future plan become academician and I want to specialize in medical genetic and epigenetic and I have a question. I love programing and computer science, studying in computer is not working for me as like studying mbg. for this reason should I specialized in bioinformatics? Because I love biology actually molecular biology.

My idea is I should go bioinformatics program because even if i became a geneticist or epigenesist, I saw we have to know some bioinformatics tool\skills if I won’t live off of someone, bioinformatics skills also improve my ability’s. and differences between two program don’t have much insoluble lecture, maximum difference is internship, lots of mbg program have 8 or 10 lecture in one year(it’s up to you) other year full intern ship almost 9 month and 2-3 maybe much different place that interest-based on you. And I can keep up this program if I also do internship in some lab. (Can I?) Based on my idea going bioinformatics program, even if I feel sorry for this decision I can fix doing internship (fixing about couldn’t improving lab skills), and I get away with improving bioinformatics skills after I can go with inner peace medical genetic PhD program, if I didn’t feel sory I walk on the bioinformatics road.

So, I need your recommendation or idea, please write any thing what you think and be included my future.

Thank you all answering already now and sory for my perferct english :)

[WouterDeCoster]

Almost everyone here will tell you that bioinformatics is awesome. But maybe we're just a bit biased. But it definitely won't hurt to get some skills in bioinformatical data analysis. Oh and wet lab is just moving small volumes of liquids from one tube to another ;-) (and still I suck at that)

[KSA]

wet lab is just moving small volumes of liquids from one tube to another thats what I saw\ and what i think :) thank you so much

[GenoMax]

Without that bioinformaticians would not have any data to work on though :-)

[WouterDeCoster]

Obviously I wasn't entirely serious!

[microfuge]

I would chip in for the molecular biology/genetics program. In my circle most bioinformaticians are self taught ex experimentalists. All it needs to learn it is a computer with an internet connection. Whereas to get a feel for wetlab is very difficult once you opt a formal bioinformatics course. Also doing a project and getting hands dirty is the best way to learn (atleast for me) than to attend a formal lecture. You can always take a paper in genomics and replicate it's findings in an attempt to learn but to do that for experimental work would need facilities. My advice would be to take the experimental work but to develop auxiliary bioinformatics skills which can be demonstrated. Not an easy road I admit. But in case you want to go in algorithm/tool development rather than using a tool for tackling a biological question then definitely go for bioinformatics or directly to computer science.

Answer 1

[Aerval]

I think I have a similar background. I did a bachelor in Molecular Biotechnology with major in bioinformatics and now am in my masters program of the same name. I also would have had the opportunity to change into scientific computing. I am not quite sure why I did not do it, but I do not regret this decision because it kind of forced me in doing some more of the lab stuff I am not that much into while keeping me free for taking some extra lectures (and various internet tuts etc.) in a more computational environment. It also helped that those interships I had to do could be done with enhanced bioinformatic focus. And also I am able to do my thesis entirely in bioinformatics.

Answer 2

[natasha.sernova]

I think you already know some basics of molecular biology and genetics since you have learned them.

Later you will have to study some particular area like a single interesting protein or a group or them, it depends on the wet-laboratory you work in.

To study current data from molecular biology or genetics you will definitely need bioinformatics since their volume is enormous.

If you have an opportunity to do your master and PhD thesis entirely in bioinformatics, it's a really great chance, don't loose it.

Answer 3

[KSA]

thank you for all answer I will keep in my mind maybe next year I'm writte here become a bioinformatician :)