Computer Science (Thesis): Bioinformatics (M.Sc.) (45 credits)
Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Computer Science; Bioinformatics provides training in this interdisciplinary field, which lies at the intersection of biological/medical sciences and mathematics/computer science/engineering. The program includes the development of strategies for experimental design, the construction of tools to analyze datasets, the application of modelling techniques, the creation of tools for manipulating bioinformatics data, the integration of biological databases, and the use of algorithms, artificial intelligence, and statistics. The thesis must focus on bioinformatics in relation to computer science.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Thesis Courses (24 credits)
22 credits selected from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 691 | Thesis Research 1. | 3 |
Thesis Research 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Ongoing research pertaining to thesis. | ||
| COMP 696 | Thesis Research 2. | 3 |
Thesis Research 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Ongoing research pertaining to thesis. | ||
| COMP 697 | Thesis Research 3. | 4 |
Thesis Research 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Ongoing research pertaining to thesis. | ||
| COMP 698 | Thesis Research 4. | 10 |
Thesis Research 4. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Ongoing research pertaining to thesis. | ||
| COMP 699 | Thesis Research 5. | 12 |
Thesis Research 5. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Ongoing research pertaining to thesis. | ||
Required Courses (3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 616D1 | Bioinformatics Seminar. | 1.5 |
Bioinformatics Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to current trends in Bioinformatics and closely related fields such as genomics and proteomics. | ||
| COMP 616D2 | Bioinformatics Seminar. | 1.5 |
Bioinformatics Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See COMP 616D1 for description. | ||
Required Course
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 601 | Thesis Literature Review. | 2 |
Thesis Literature Review. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of relevant literature in preparation for the M.Sc. research. This includes regular attendance of the Colloquium organized by the School of Computer Science. | ||
Complementary Courses (18 credits)
6 credits chosen from the following courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BINF 621 | Bioinformatics: Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Bioinformatics: Molecular Biology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The main problems related to the analysis of biological sequences (sequence comparison, homology, gene annotation, phylogenetic inference, comparative genomics) and the computational approaches (dynamic programming algorithms, Blast heuristics, hidden Markov models, Bayesian statistics). | ||
| BMDE 652 | Bioinformatics: Proteomics. | 3 |
Bioinformatics: Proteomics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Overview of high-throughput proteomic technologies commonly employed to study the localization and function of all proteins in an organism, and the bioinformatic approaches to analyze raw data and deposit them in proteome databases. | ||
| BTEC 555 | Structural Bioinformatics. | 3 |
Structural Bioinformatics. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Fundamentals of protein structure and the application of tools for structure determination, how protein structure allows us to understand the complex biological functions, and how knowledge of protein structure can contribute to drug discovery. | ||
| COMP 618 | Bioinformatics: Functional Genomics. | 3 |
Bioinformatics: Functional Genomics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Techniques related to microarrays (normalization, differential expression, class prediction, class discovery), the analysis of non-coding sequence data (identification of transcription factor binding sites), single nucleotide polymorphisms, the inference of biological networks, and integrative Bioinformatics approaches. | ||
| PHGY 603 | Systems Biology and Biophysics. | 3 |
Systems Biology and Biophysics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to classical and current topics in biophysics and systems biology in order to model the control of gene expression and intracellular signal transduction, as well as gene spread in populations. | ||
12 credits of 4-credit courses chosen from 500-, 600-, or 700-level Computer Science courses in consultation with the candidate’s supervisor.
Note: Students with an appropriate background can substitute 4 credits by COMP 697 Thesis Research 3..