ScienceAugust 27, 2026

bioinformatician

BY-oh-in-for-muh-TI-shun

Definition

A professional who applies computational tools, software, and statistical methods to analyze and interpret complex biological data.

Etymology

The word is a blend of the prefix 'bio-' (relating to life) and 'informatician' (one who specializes in informatics). It emerged in the late 20th century to describe the growing field of using computers to manage and analyze biological information.

In the news

Megha Prasad is described as a bioinformatician because her role involves using computer code and AI to analyze large sets of oyster genetic data, rather than performing traditional outdoor fieldwork.

AI helps uncover oyster DNA changes linked to climate resilience

Read the full article ↗

Phys.org

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