Interdisciplinary field that studies and pursues the effective uses of biomedical data, information, and knowledge for scientific inquiry, problem solving, and decision making, driven by efforts to improve human health
Bioinformatics
Ranging from molecules to populations
Scale of Biomedical Entities
BMI addresses all phases of problem solving:
- Understanding users’ needs and the context of information use
- Developing and implementing technologies, systems, and resources
- Evaluating and refining technologies, systems, and resources
- Problems must be understood before it can be addressed
- Understand users’ information needs and workflows
- Current tools and technologies
- Social and organizational context of information
Understanding users’ needs and the context of information use
- It develops solutions to address gaps between the information needs of users and the tools available for processing, managing, storing, manipulating, retrieving, and transmitting data and information
- Examples of work in this category are:
1. Developing computational methods to help find meaning in data
2. Designing information systems to provide researchers and clinicians with information relevant to their current task
3. Developing information resources that integrate disparate data to make the data more useful
4. Developing systems that capture patient data in ways that are secure, support patient care, and are suitable for biomedical research
Developing and implementing technologies, systems, and resources
- BMI is a scientific discipline, and therefore inquiry is guided by the development and testing of theories
- BMI draws upon many component sciences, including information science, computer science, statistics, organizational science, and cognitive science
- As a science, the object of study in BMI is information
- BMI also incorporates some elements of engineering where the focus is building software tools
Evaluating and refining technologies, systems, and resources
Biomedical Informatics Sub-fields
- Public health
- Clinical
- Imaging
- Bioinformatics
- Convergence of two separate disciplines – information and computer science technology and public health practice, research, and learning
- A combination of IT and public health to form a system in which an avalanche of data relevant to public health can be managed, organized, analyzed, and communicated efficiently
- Uses information science and technology to improve health
- Utilizes applications that prevent disease and possible injury by changing the environment or tweaking the conditions that put large groups of people at risk
- Considers how to effect prevention at all vulnerable points in the path to disease, disability or injury
Public Health Informatics
- A study of information technology and how it can be applied to the healthcare field
- A clinical informaticist may serve in a multitude of roles, such evaluating the existing information systems and recommend improvements to functionality
Clinical Bioinformatics
- Manage the costs while improving patient outcomes
1. Study a data entry or visual image storage system or interact with those who need access to records
2. Train staff on system use, build interfaces, troubleshoot software and hardware issues, and work across multiple departments to integrate the sharing of information
3. Document and report their findings and work to implement improvements
Clinical Informaticists
- It involves the application of computer technology to manage volumes of biological information
- Computers are used to gather, analyze and integrate biological and genetic data that can then be applied for such uses as gene-based drug discovery and development
Bioinformatics
Applications for Bioinformatics
- Basic research
- Biomedicine
- Microbiology
- Agriculture
Bioinformatics is relied upon to assist with research into such areas as comparative and evolutionary genomics, functional genomics and genome wide association analysis
Basic research
- Human genome has helped unlock the genetic components for many diseases
- Potential applications include drug discovery, personalized medicine, preventative medicine and gene therapy
Biomedicine
The potential applications here involve the study of microorganism genomes to assist with biotechnology developments, waste cleanup, climate change, antibiotic resistance and more
Microbiology
By sequencing the genomes of animals and plants, genetic knowledge can be gleaned to help produce stronger crops while improving the quality of livestock
Agriculture
- Uses information science and technology to improve health
- Utilizes applications that prevent disease and possible injury by changing the environment or tweaking the conditions that put large groups of people at risk
- Considers how to effect prevention at all vulnerable points in the path to disease, disability or injury
Big Data Processing and Analytics
