Product Description

Were you always curious about biology but were afraid to sit through long hours of dense reading? Did you like the subject when you were in high school but had other plans after you graduated? Now you can explore the human genome and analyze DNA without ever leaving your desktop!

Bioinformatics For Dummies is packed with valuable information that introduces you to this exciting new discipline. This easy–to–follow guide leads you step by step through every bioinformatics task that can be done over the Internet. Forget long equations, computer–geek gibberish, and installing bulky programs that slow down your computer. You’ll be amazed at all the things you can accomplish just by logging on and following these trusty directions. You get the tools you need to:

• Analyze all types of sequences
• Use all types of databases
• Work with DNA and protein sequences
• Conduct similarity searches
• Build a multiple sequence alignment
• Edit and publish alignments
• Visualize protein 3–D structures
• Construct phylogenetic trees

This up–to–date second edition includes newly created and popular databases and Internet programs as well as multiple new genomes. It provides tips for using servers and places to seek resources to find out about what’s going on in the bioinformatics world. Bioinformatics For Dummies will show you how to get the most out of your PC and the right Web tools so you’ll be searching databases and analyzing sequences like a pro!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26440 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 456 pages

Review
“…buy soon and read fast!…” (Spixiana, July 2004)

"...will be of enormous practical assistance to anyone getting to grips with bioinformatics tools in the course of their research..." (Briefings in Bioinformatics, June 2003)

Spixiana, July 04
"...buy soon and read fast!…

From the Back Cover
Search databases and analyze sequences like a pro

Get the most out of your PC and the Web with the right tools

Explore the human genome and analyze DNA — without leaving your desktop! All it takes is the basics of molecular biology and the wealth of information in this friendly guide. You′ll discover the online tools and useful tips you need to ask the right questions, analyze sequences, and compare results. It′s a plain–English introduction to the field!

Discover how to

• Do biological research online
• Use gene–centric databases
• Visualize proteins in 3–D
• Interpret and analyze sequences
• Produce and publish results

Customer Reviews

they say on the title "an excellent book for beginners and occasional practioners"
... and I agree. This is a book for molecular biologist who want to analyse their data using bioinformatics tools. I would prefer Baxevanis/Oullette "Bioinformatics: A Practical Guide to the Analysis of Genes and Proteins", however, if this is too expensive for you than this "Bioinformatics for Dummies" is the second best choice. Layout and index is a bit more confused but it covers most stuff you will need.

A word of warning: if you want to learn how the programs work, you have to look for a different type of book, e.g. "Biological Sequence Analysis: Probabilistic Models of Proteins and Nucleic Acids" by R. Durbin, Sean R. Eddy, Anders Krogh, and Graeme Mitchison or "Algorithmic Aspects of Bioinformatics" by Hans-Joachim Bockenhauer and Dirk Bongartz.

Clear and informative
So much of the information is this field (and indeed some of the applications which have been developed) seems almost intentially convoluted and difficult to understand. This book gives a very good overview of some of the more common programs that one will need to use if one is starting bioinformatics research in a way that is practical and easy understand. Despite the title, the authors have done some good work in the field (I use Notredame's T-Coffee alignment program often) and are credible authorities in this area.