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Where do you want to be in 2040?
 Aanamika has been feeling sick since afternoon in her office. Though she tried to ignore the feeling, the gradual rise in uneasiness caught up with her priorities. So, she finally decided to take a zip through the latest Systems Biology Machine (SBM) installed in the basement of her office.
The SBM is a product of 20 years of research and development by ‘General Biologies’. It is a state-of-the-art integrated system, which often makes a doctor redundant.
SBM is an integrated sixth generation intelligent machine which uses the latest in computing technology like Biochip 5’-3’(BC53) and Multiple Parallel Processors (MPP). SBM and its components are the culmination of half-a-decade of research and cross-collaboration in scores of fields, primarily - biology, computer science, mathematics, statistics and material sciences. BC53 and MPP, which are the integral part of SBM, are made up of biomolecules like DNA and protein instead of silicon. SBM also operates on quantum principle technology.
These factors enable SBM to process, simulate and analyse biological data it reads from human beings. SBM also provides solutions in the form of either drugs or reports, which are custom-made for every individual. Drugs are made by the ‘drug system’, which is again a part of the
SBM.
The drug system has a comprehensive stock of proven drug agents in it. The analytical software in SBM would automatically perform clinical diagnosis, gives clear symptoms and the remedy.
The analytical software gives data on the right combination of chemicals to the drug system. The drug system then makes the drug according to the individual’s genetic pattern. This process eliminates side-effects of drugs on the individual and also helps in speedy recovery.
Aanamika just stands in front of the SBM while safe laser beams scan the DNA chip embedded in her finger after her birth. Within a few seconds, the SBM flashes the symptom on to the screen. To her astonishment, she found that she had non-bacterial food poisoning due to accumulation of toxins such as arsenic, lead or mercury.
 Fruits and vegetables have been accidentally contaminated or sprayed with preservatives, which contain those pollutants and are not properly processed before ingestion. The SBM prescribed a special formulation for Aanamika to get over the feeling of discomfort.
After some time, she is back to normal and while returning from office, decides to shop through ‘The Farm’ from where most of the vegetables and fruits are exported to various countries. The Farm is a 500-floor cultivation complex built exclusively to cultivate all commercially important crops under one roof.
Different chimerical plants are well-maintained under artificial conditions such as appropriate lighting, temperature and soil balance. The increased nutritive value and shelf life are some of the desirable qualities exhibited by these ‘Farm’ products. Each floor cultivates a single crop, most of which grow in a liquid medium.
Since the plants have been genetically engineered to tolerate most of the pathogens, they were hale and healthy. The liquid medium that is rich in nutrients aids in luxurious growth of the plants. Such ‘Farms’ are the source of food for the entire world. They don’t consume much space on already space-starved earth.
They don’t depend on the undependable climate since they grow in controlled conditions and they are much cheaper and much faster to hit the market. They are the ideal solution to the limited resources and huge requirement prevalent on planet earth. Fortunately, they are a reality by 2040.
Aanamika has always appreciated the idea of buying fresh products from 'The Farm'. She liked the idea of options and the easy nature of shopping. She just casually walks through the market sales section of 'The Farm', impressed by the quality of the product, as always, and decides to pick few of them.
While she uses her advisory chip delivered by the SBM during the afternoon check-up, she curses herself for being reckless in not picking food from 'The Farm' the day before. She finally picks up the food from the Farm’s delivery wing and leaves for another hectic day ahead of her.
This scenario is one among many possibilities of the bio century and bio economy, which envisages a paradigm shift in healthcare, food production and scores of other sectors. There is a very strong assertion that bioinformatics would make a significant contribution in the development of health care, enhanced food security through sustainable agricultural practices and other industrial development processes. Bioinformatics is the key player in the scenario, where cross specialities and integration are the rule.
Bioinformatics per se can be defined as providing solutions to biological problems using computer science. Bioinformatics helps us to analyse complicated scientific data, reveals the rules and meaning of a language that is new to human beings, a language that has just four letters A, T, G, C. Strict analysis of the genome (entire code book of any species) would pave the way for solving the problem related with recognition and manipulation and would thus provide solutions that would lead to wonderful discoveries.
It is laissez-faire field, which has its implications in almost most fields:
Today, pharmaceutical and life sciences firms are increasingly placing emphasis on IT investments related to research, to gain competitive advantage by reducing the time spent on drug discovery. By the study of genes, pharmaceutical firms can determine the cause of various deformities, diseases and their remedies.
Bioinformatics, through the use of computer databases and algorithms, speeds up and enhances biological research projects and is thus becoming a sector in many pharmaceutical and IT-based companies. Hence, bioinformatics makes an ideal dream career for many young, aspiring candidates.
Many institutions and private sectors are now offering courses in bioinformatics, so if you’re interested in a career in this area, make sure you check out what they have to offer.
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It would be much wiser to take up a bioinformatics course after the completion of a masters degree in either life sciences or computer science.
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Make sure about the syllabus content. Check out for statistics, mathematics and wet lab exposure.
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A one-year course in bioinformatics would be ideal after the masters degree for obtaining middle-level knowledge in the field.
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Also, look for commercial software like Hyperchem, Tripos-Sybyl, Insight-II and Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) which may help you to do a live project and also, experience in these operating environments would be preferred by pharmaceutical companies.
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The institute should have a library so that students get better knowledge apart from their routine classes.
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A university certification is worthier than a private certificate for the exorbitant money spent on the course.
I choose to conclude this article by sharing my belief with all of you: Bioinformatics can be an extraordinarily good career for individuals who intend to be in the cutting edge of science, with skills to excel in the field of research.
To further my belief, I choose this quote:
“The machines required to decode the human genome must be at least three orders of magnitude more powerful than IBM’s Deep Blue [the machine that beat chess giant Garry Kasparov]. So IBM’s next generation machine is called ‘Blue Gene’. And at IBM’s headquarters, many believe their company will be a life science company.” -Juan Enriquez -
‘As the Future Catches You’
Aarthi V B
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