The Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance’s central goal is the development of a regional “computational orchestra”. This term has been selected to describe a connected environment where highly specialized yet complimentary disciplines are brought together to create an orchestral whole. The end result is a community united to catalyze and capture innovation in bioinformatics.

The Alliance is creating this computational orchestra by linking two diverse communities: the region’s statistical and computing experts, and our experts in biological and medical research. These two groups are complimented and enriched by the other’s strength and knowledge within their respective fields.

By forming this computational orchestra of talent, the Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance enables significant innovations in bioinformatics. The cohesiveness of this orchestra of biologists, biomedical researchers, statisticians, and computational experts specialized in various sub disciplines is based on an appreciation of a common theme and language.

The primary “instruments” of this orchestra are coursework and education. Courses will focus on using a wide variety of statistical, modeling, and computational skills to solve real world biomedical problems. Alliance members and affiliates - including biotech companies - are encouraged to participate in the selection of research and development projects considered in these courses.

Education within the Computational Orchestra, currently in the form of a nine-week seminar series, brings prominent bioinformatics scientists from Alliance member institutions and from outside the region to the forefront of the Greater Philadelphia life sciences community. Through weekly two-hour seminars, regional academic researchers and industry professionals will hear bioinformatics and computational biology experts discuss their latest research.

The Fall 2004 Computational Orchestra seminar series is focused on topics in Multi-Scale Modeling of Biological Networks and Pathways. For a schedule and more information about presenters, click here.

One of the goals of the computational orchestra concept is for collaborations started within the courses and seminars, or as a result of other Alliance networking activities, to lead to commercially viable innovations in the life sciences.

If you would like to find out more about the Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance and join our mailing list, click here.