Seobin Choi
1. Principle of Bioinformatics
Definition of bioinformatics
'Bio-' word orginated from Greek (biography), it means a combining form 'life' . If 'Bio' play a role of prefix, it indicate and involve life or living organisms.
'informat(ion) + -ics' is information science. It means this science has all processes what informations are gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving and classifying.
In my own word, the definition of bioinformatics is all processes that information related to living organisms and life are gathering, manipulating, storing, retireving and classifying.
Principle of bioinformatics
Figure1 is level of biological organization, this order from smallest to largest : atom → molecule→ macromolecule→ organelle→ cell→ tissue→ organ→ organ system→ Whole organism.
Many living things are made of cells and cells are made of many molecules. Bioinformatics is based on level of biological organization, so it can get the information from macromolecule to whole organism. It means bioinformatics can help to analyze from the macromoleule likes DNA to the whole organism likes human.
In addition, according to 'Wikipedia, informatics', "The English term Informatics is sometimes understood as meaning the same as computer science. The German word Informatik is usually translated to English as computer science."
Therefore, Principle of Bioinformatics is that gather the information(data) and analyze by using both Computer Sciences and Biology field.
Figure1. Levels of organization (from biology keystone exam preparation)
