Essentials of Bioinformatics, Volume II, 1st ed. 2019
In Silico Life Sciences: Medicine

Bioinformatics is an integrative field of computer science, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and statistics, which has undoubtedly revolutionized the study of biology and medicine in past decades. It mainly assists in modeling, predicting and interpreting large multidimensional biological data by utilizing advanced computational methods. Despite its enormous potential, bioinformatics is not widely integrated into the academic curriculum as most life science students and researchers are still not equipped with the necessary knowledge to take advantage of this powerful tool. Hence, the primary purpose of our book is to supplement this unmet need by providing an easily accessible platform for students and researchers starting their career in life sciences. This book aims to avoid sophisticated computational algorithms and programming. Instead, it focuses on simple DIY analysis and interpretation of biological data with personal computers. Our belief is that once the beginners acquire these basic skillsets, they will be able to handle most of the bioinformatics tools for their research work and to better understand their experimental outcomes.

Our second title of this volume set In Silico Life Sciences: Medicine provides hands-on experience in analyzing high throughput molecular data for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of monogenic or polygenic human diseases. The key concepts in this volume include risk factor assessment, genetic tests and result interpretation, personalized medicine, and drug discovery. This volume is expected to train readers in both single and multi-dimensional biological analysis using open data sets, and provides a unique learning experience through clinical scenarios and case studies.

Noor Ahmad Shaik is an academician, researcher and technologist working in the field Human Molecular Genetics. Over the last 15 years he has been working with different research groups whose fundamental focus is to offer genetic disease diagnostics, management and therapy. He is interested in discovering the novel causal genes/biomarkers for rare hereditary disorders and also to understand the effect of mutations on structure and function of causal proteins of human diseases. He has already published 42 research publications in reputed international journals of human genetics and bioinformatics. He is currently working to improve the current mutation prediction methods through integrative computational algorithms, so that clinicians and scientists can better understand the functional relevance of genetic mutations to disease. He has been a recipient of several research grants from national and international funding agencies. He is currently rendering his editorial services to world renowned journals like Frontiers in Pediatrics and Frontiers in Genetic Disorders.

Dr. Khalid Rehman Hakeem (PhD) is Associate Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He has completed his Ph.D. (Botany) from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India in 2011. Dr. Hakeem has worked as Post Doctorate Fellow in 2012 and Fellow Researcher (Associate Prof.) from 2013-2016 at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia. His specialty is Plant Eco-Physiology, Biotechnology & Molecular biology, Plant-Microbe-soil interactions and Environmental Sciences and so far has edited and authored more than 25 books with Springer International, Academic Press (Elsevier), CRC Press etc. He has also to his credit more than 120 research publications in peer reviewed international journals, including 42 book chapters in edited volumes with international publishers.

Dr. Babajan Banaganapalli (PhD) works as bioinformatics research faculty at Kin