Biomedical Health Research Centre

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Technology Groups

Bioinformatics Technology Group

Lead

Professor DR Westhead, Bioinformatics (FBS)

Collaborators

Dr AJ Bulpitt, School of Computing (Engineering)
Dr C Needham, School of Computing (Engineering)
Professor WR Gilks, Statistical Bioinformatics (Engineering)
Dr C Molina-Paris, Applied Mathematics (Engineering)
Professor B Sleeman, Applied Mathematics (Engineering)
Professor AV Holden, Computational Biology (FBS)
Dr D Perkins, Oncology (FMH) 
Professor J Newton-Bishop, Epidemiology & Biostatistics (FMH)
Professor AG Davis, Institute of Microwaves and Photonics (Engineering)
Professor C Bonifer, Experimental Haematology (FMH)
Dr. P Jones, Angiogenesis (FMH)

Overview

Since the completion of the human genome sequence, molecular research in the biomedical sciences has become increasingly data rich. In the past decade, whole genome reference sequences have become available for man and key pathogens, along with high-throughput genome scale technologies to measure gene and protein expression and interactions. Our capabilities include sequencing multiple individual genomes, to enable study of the genetic and epigenetic changes linked to cellular differentiation and the development of cancer, and to follow detailed molecular changes at increasing spatial, temporal and developmental resolution. The high data volumes produced by these technologies demand expertise in the handling and analysis of large data sets, and this research is impossible without bioinformatics support.

Bioinformatics BHRC Away Day presentation

Remit of the group and research areas

The broad aims of the bioinformatics group are to support experimental research in biomedical projects by:

  1. Appropriate handling of large data sets of all types, including archiving, databases, and the provision of convenient access and querying.

  2. Data mining and knowledge discovery in large data sets.

  3. Analysis of nucleic acid and protein sequences.

  4. Analysis of data from microarrays, including expression analysis, ChIP-chip and tiling arrays.

  5. Analysis of proteomics data.

  6. Analysis of data from new generation sequencing projects.