About

Welcome to the Center for Bioinformatics

The Center for Bioinformatics (ZBH) of the University of Hamburg was established on July 1, 2002 by the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN) and the Faculty of Medicine. With its three research groups and two junior research groups belonging to the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Informatics, the ZBH covers a wide range of topics in research and teaching of molecular bioinformatics. Bioinformatics aims at developing and applying computer-aided tools for research in life sciences.

Research

Above all, research in bioinformatics means developing computer models and tools for the prediction of molecular properties and phenomena in life sciences. The three research groups and two junior research groups at the ZBH work on problems in the areas of genomics, structural biology and drug design. Computer programs developed at the ZBH are used worldwide both in academic institutions and industry. The three research groups and two junior research groups work on basic and applied topics. [more ...]

Arbeitsgruppe Computational Systems Biology, Prof. Dr. Jan Baumbach

Research Group for Genome Informatics , Prof. Dr. Stefan Kurtz

Research Group for Biomolecular Modeling , Prof. Dr. Andrew Torda

Research Group for Computational Molecular Design, Prof. Dr. Matthias Rarey

Teaching

The bachelor's programme, "Computing in Science" was first introduced in September 2009. The degree is taught in German and links computer science to the modern natural sciences. One can choose to specialise in either physics or bioinformatics. Within bioinformatics, one can choose from molecular bioinformatics or chemo-informatics with applications in the life sciences.[more]

The ZBH offers a masters program in bioinformatics leading to the degree of Master of Science in Bioinformatics. It is open to graduates from a higher education institution with a first degree (bachelor, state examination or equivalent) in a computational or life science-oriented field. The study program is research-oriented and interdisciplinary. It gives the opportunity to focus on genome informatics, structural bioinformatics, and drug design / cheminformatics. The ZBH Masters course starts annually in the winter semester, takes four semesters and accreditation was achieved in March 2006. [more ...]

Bioinformatics can be chosen as a minor subject or elective module in many study programs, e.g. biology and computer science. [more ...]

Previously, the ZBH offered the Diplom-Hauptstudiengang Bioinformatics jointly with the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Medicine. This program was offered for the last time in winter semester 2005.

Bioinformatics in Germany and beyond

There is extensive information available for the subject Bioinformatics and its represenation on German universities, technical colleges and research organisations on the online presence of the Gemeinsame Fachgruppe Bioinformatik (FaBI).

Information on an international level can be found on the the website of the International Society for Computational Biology (iSCB).