Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics

Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics

BSc Bioinformatics ·
4 years
Fee (Tentative)NPR 950,000

Institutions offering BSc Bioinformatics

Currently, 1 institutions offer Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics (BSc Bioinformatics) under Kathmandu University in Nepal with 1 of them offering in Kavrepalanchok district.

Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics (BSc Bioinformatics) is focused on the science of gathering and analyzing intricate biological data, such as genetic coding. In this area, the intersection of biology, computing, and statistics is applied in molecular biology, organism biology, and biomedicine.

Bioinformatics is an emerging field that combines information sciences with life sciences to address the challenges arising from new technologies and vast amounts of data in biology, chemistry, and medicine. It focuses on understanding molecular biological processes and is crucial in medicine, drug discovery, and other areas.

Bioinformatics tackles various problems, such as protein and nucleic acid sequencing and analysis, protein function identification, molecule structure elucidation, ecological pattern understanding, gene expression analysis, evolutionary relationship study, molecular modeling, drug design, and algorithm development.

A Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics equips students with essential skills. They learn data analysis, software development, and computational infrastructure support in biological contexts. They gain expertise in managing and analyzing large datasets using bioinformatics software and statistical methods.

Students also develop programming skills, proficiency in scripting languages, and knowledge of molecular biology, genomics, and genetics. Additionally, they acquire managerial and programmatic abilities and an understanding of funding, research, and innovation policies.

Salient Features

  • A unique program integrating modern information sciences with the life sciences.
  • Develops and utilizes methods and techniques from computer science and mathematics in order to solve tasks from biology, chemistry, or medicine. 
  • Develop managerial and programmatic skills such as staff management and business development.
  • Apply software engineering methodologies to successfully design, implement and maintain systems and software in scientific environments.
  • Apply statistics in contexts such as molecular biology, genomics, and population genetics.

Eligibility

  • Must have taken PCB or PCM in both XI and XII.
  • A minimum grade of C in each subject.

OR

If the student has been evaluated in a percentage system, a minimum 50% in aggregate of PCB or PCM.

Job Prospects

After completing a Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics, graduates can pursue various rewarding career opportunities that bridge the gap between life sciences and IT expertise. The field offers diverse job profiles, allowing individuals to contribute to multiple industries and sectors.

One prominent career path for bioinformatics graduates is within the pharmaceutical, chemical, plant, or food industries and in biotech companies. They can leverage their skills to analyze biological data, develop computational models, and contribute to drug discovery, genomics, or proteomics research. Their data analysis and IT application expertise are highly valued in these settings.

Another avenue for bioinformatics professionals is in software companies that specialize in producing pharmaceutical software. These companies require individuals with a strong understanding of biology, medicine, and chemistry and the ability to develop software solutions tailored to the specific needs of experts in these fields.

Hospitals and medical institutions increasingly recognize the importance of bioinformatics in pathology, diagnosis labs, and clinical studies. Bioinformatics graduates can find employment in these settings, utilizing their knowledge of databases, simulations, data mining, and algorithm design to support medical research, genomic analysis, and personalized medicine initiatives.

The scope of duties for bioinformatics graduates is vast and varied. They can specialize in database management, utilizing their skills to organize and analyze large datasets critical to research and development. They can also excel in simulations, employing computational models to simulate biological processes or predict outcomes. Additionally, their expertise in data mining allows them to extract meaningful insights from complex biological datasets.

Algorithm design is another crucial area in which bioinformatics graduates excel. They possess the ability to develop innovative algorithms and computational approaches to solve complex biological problems, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in data analysis and interpretation.

Overall, the career opportunities for individuals with a Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics are abundant. Graduates can pursue roles in pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, software companies, hospitals, research institutions, and more. They can work as bioinformatics specialists, data analysts, research associates, software developers, or computational biologists, among other positions. The interdisciplinary nature of bioinformatics allows graduates to make valuable contributions at the intersection of life sciences and IT, driving advancements in fields such as genomics, drug discovery, personalized medicine, and biological research.

Curricular Structure

First Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
PHYS 104General Physics3
CHEM 101General Chemistry3
BIOL 103General Biology3
MATH 111Calculus & Algebra3
COMP 101Information System Technology2
ENGT 104Professional Communication3
PHYS 146General Physics Lab1
Total Credits18

Second Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
PHYS 105General Biophysics3
CHEM 103Chemistry I3
MATH 102Statistics & Probability3
COMP 117Introduction to Python Programming*3
BINF 101Introduction to Bioinformatics*3
BINF 102Professional Ethics2
Total Credits17

Third Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BIOT 201Microbiology3
BIOT 203Biochemistry3
BIOT 205Cell Biology3
BICP 201Data Structures & Algorithms*3
BIMA 201Linear Algebra3
BIOT 251Microbiology Lab1
BIOT 252Biochemistry lab1
Total Credits17

Fourth Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BIOT 202Genetics3
BIOT 206Molecular Biology I3
BINF 206Evolutionary Biology3
BICP 206Database Management Systems*3
BIMA 206Differential Equations3
BIOT 256Molecular Biology Lab1
BINF 257Project I1
Total Credits17

Fifth Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BINF 301Structural Bioinformatics*3
BINF 302Molecular Phylogenetics*3
BINF 303Genomics3
BINF 304Cheminformatics*3
BINF 305Algorithms in Bioinformatics3
BICP 301Machine Learning*3
Total Credits18

Sixth Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BINF 306Drug Design & Discovery*3
BINF 307Transcriptomics & Proteomics3
BINF 308Bioprocess Informatics*3
BINF 309Immunoinformatics3
BICP 306Programming Language Paradigm3
BINF 357Project II2
Total Credits17

Seventh Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BINF 401Seminar in Bioinformatics1
BINF 402Systems Biology*3
PHYS 427Parallel Computing*3
BIMA 401Advanced Statistics*3
BINF XXXElective I3
BINF XXXElective II3
BINF 451Industrial Internship2
Total Credits18

Eighth Semester

Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BINF XXXElective III3
MGTS 402Entrepreneurship Development3
BINF 455Project Work6
Total Credits12

Grand Total = 134

Note: Courses indexed with (*) signifies integrated laboratory within the subject and should be treated as (2 +1) course; 2 credits for theory and 1 credits for laboratory

List of Elective Subjects
Course CodeCourse titleCredits
BINF 411Metabolomics3
BINF 412Nutrigenomics3
BINF 413Infectious Diseases Informatics3
BINF 414Biodiversity Informatics3
BINF 415Genetic Counselling3
BINF 416Epigenetics3
BICP 411Advanced Topics in Deep Learning3
BIMA 411Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems3