Computational biology

Computational Biology

Computational biology (pronunciation: /kəmˌpjuːtəˈʃəʊnəl baɪˈɒlədʒi/) is a branch of biology that focuses on the application of computer science and mathematics to understand and model the structures and processes of life. It involves the use of computational methods (e.g., algorithms and statistical models) to analyze biological data and develop theoretical models.

Etymology

The term "computational biology" is derived from the words "computation," which comes from the Latin computare meaning "to calculate or estimate," and "biology," which comes from the Greek bios meaning "life" and -logia meaning "study of." Thus, computational biology can be interpreted as the calculation or estimation in the study of life.

Related Terms

Bioinformatics: A related field that focuses on the development and application of computational tools and techniques for analyzing biological data. While there is a significant overlap between computational biology and bioinformatics, the former is more focused on the development of theoretical models and simulations of biological systems, while the latter is more focused on the development of databases and algorithms for managing and analyzing biological data.

Systems biology: A field that aims to understand biological systems as a whole, using a combination of experimental and computational methods. Systems biology often involves the use of computational models to predict the behavior of complex biological systems.

Genomics: A branch of biology that focuses on the study of genomes, including the sequencing, mapping, and analysis of an organism's entire genetic material. Computational methods are often used in genomics to analyze large amounts of genetic data.

Proteomics: The large-scale study of proteins, including their structures and functions. Computational biology plays a crucial role in proteomics, particularly in predicting protein structures and analyzing protein-protein interactions.