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What is Bioinformatics?

What is Bioinformatics? | Recruitment sectors | Examples of jobs in bioinformatics | How can I train? | Where does the SFBI fit in?

What is Bioinformatics?

Bioinformatics is a recent scientific field that emerged in the 1990s at the interface between biology, computer science, mathematics and physics. Bioinformatics covers research and engineering activities based on the creation or use of numerical or mathematical approaches applied to the life sciences.

The main applications are the automatic processing of high-throughput biological data (Big Data) and, more generally, data modelling, analysis and integration issues in life sciences.

Technological advances in data production at different scales (from cell to ecosystems, tissues, organisms and communities/populations) are leading to a profound change in the approaches used in life sciences. For example, it is now possible to sequence a human genome in a few hours for less than a thousand euros, whereas the sequencing of the first human genome in the early 2000s required an investment of around 2 billion euros and more than ten years work by an international consortium. This revolution is paving the way for a new type of diagnosis and more personalized treatment in hospitals. Sequencing is also being developed and democratized in other sectors of life sciences (environment, ecology, agronomy, etc.) and for other biological models, with major impacts on research and its applications.

To be properly understood, these technological and methodological developments require new skills. Bioinformatics jobs, for example, require skills in data analysis and organization (data science), software development and use of digital resources, and modelling. The demand for bioinformaticians has grown rapidly in recent years and is now crucial in various sectors of research and industry. 

Recruitment sectors

In France, bioinformatics demands concern:

Examples of jobs in bioinformatics

1/ Bioinformatics engineer

Depending on the context in which they work (platforms, academic laboratories, healthcare or private companies), a bioinformatics engineer:

2/ Bioinformatics researcher or lecturer

In addition to general aspects of university research and teaching, the bioinformatics researcher:

3/ Bioinformatics engineer in medical diagnostics

In addition to the general aspects of a bioinformatics engineer's work, specializing in medical diagnostics will require you to:

Skills required

All these jobs are based on a common foundation of multidisciplinary skills:

How can I train?

To become a bioinformatician, specific courses are offered in France at Bachelor's and/or Master's level, as well as in some engineer schools and at the CNAM. Some of these courses are open to students with an initial background in biology, while others have engineering and/or computer science backgrounds. The Network of Bioinformatics Teachers (ReBIF) brings together degree courses in bioinformatics, and publishes a booklet and a map of these courses in France.

In addition to these specific courses, a growing number of biology Bachelor's/Master's degree courses are training students in the basics of bioinformatics in dedicated modules.

For biologists already working in the field, the platforms of the Institut Français de Bioinformatique (IFB) offer short courses and schools (1 to 5 days) on a variety of topics and in different regions of France. Some institutions and universities also offer specific courses, such as training leading to a qualification or a university diploma, which enable bioinformatics skills to be acquired with a view to career development, for example the University of Paris Cité (DU Integrative Bioinformatics, DU Creation, analysis and enhancement of omics data), University of Bourgogne (DU High-throughput sequencing and analysis of genetic data) or the CNAM (Bioinformatics courses at the CNAM).

Where does the SFBI fit in? 

The SFBI is a learned society whose aim is to promote bioinformatics as a whole. Its primary mission is to act as a link between society (general public, students, scientists, etc.) and the bioinformatics community. This mission consists of a series of actions, such as the creation of catalogues of laboratories and courses with a strong bioinformatics focus, and the distribution of internship and job offers. It plays an active role in the dissemination and promotion of knowledge by supporting events and awarding prizes for the best presentations/posters. SFBI has been involved in the management of the annual national bioinformatics event, JOBIM, since its inception.  It can also be called upon to comment on current issues affecting the community. To this end, it has been an active member of the Collège des Sociétés Savantes de France since 2021.

To carry out these various activities, SFBI relies on 9 elected volunteers who consitute the executive committee. This committee manages and leads SFBI's various initiatives. It is organized into working groups. Volunteers who are members of the SFBI then support these working groups. Since 2016, SFBI has initiated the ReBIF (Rencontre autour de la Bioinformatique en France) working group, which aims to draw up a catalogue of degree courses in Bioinformatics in France and thus guide students as well as course leaders. The SFBI is the driving force behind bioinformatics training in France. It is also the driving force behind the MetBIF (Bioinformatics Professions) working group, whose aim is to provide an overview of the various bioinformatics jobs and specific features linked to the different contexts in which they are practiced. The text for lay public has been validated by MetBIF members on 10 April 2019.