Scotland is one of the world's leading centres for bioinformatics, and companies based here are supported by globally recognised research and technology. Links between industry and academia are hugely advanced and, per head of population, Scotland has more bioinformatics-specific degree courses than any other comparable location.
There is considerable depth and diversity to bioinformatics in Scotland, and collaborators can take advantage of a wide variety of academic and commercial expertise.
Strengths of the Scottish bioinformatics sector
The combined strength of Scotland's bioinformatics research is equal to anywhere in Europe and, on a per capita basis, output exceeds other locations. Scotland has world-class bioinformatics groups in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, with research links globally and creative connectivity between researchers.
Scotland was independently assessed by Scientific Generics, who identified nine areas of key and core skills in bioinformatics:
- Medical applications of bioinformatics.
- Bioinformatics and e-science.
- Micro-arrays and gene expression technologies.
- Visualisation and image analysis.
- Data and knowledge representation.
- Genome comparison.
- Protein structure prediction and modelling.
- Proteomics.
- Modelling of cellular processes (systems biology).
Bioinformatics in Scotland – benefits and opportunities
Scotland has an impressive output of bioinformatics-trained undergraduates and postgraduates. This provides companies locating in Scotland with a ready pool of skilled workers, while they can also take advantage of world-class facilities and infrastructure. Other advantages that Scotland can offer biometrics companies include:
Links to convergent technology areas such as:
- Cloning
- Stem cells
- Systems and pathway biology
- Genomics
- Proteomics
- Microarrays
- Clinical research
There is also exceptional connectivity between bioinformatics stakeholders in Scotland. The Scottish Bioinformatics Research Network (SBRN) is a consortium of universities and research institutes looking to tackle the problems of human and agricultural disease. The Scottish Bioinformatics Forum is an association of organisations engaging in bioinformatics, and promotes collaboration and increased commercialisation.
We provide assistance for the bioinformatics sector in Scotland.
Contact us to find out more about our support for bioinformatics and for all other life science sectors in Scotland
- over 2000 full-time equivalent research staff involved in bioinformatics disciplines;
- key researchers with global reputations, based in Scottish universities; and
- an excellent network of professional service providers who are actively involved in supporting the bioinformatics research sector.