Bioinformatics Biocomputing and Perl: An Introduction to Bioinformatics Computing Skills and Practice [Paperback]

Michael Moorhouse (Author), Paul Barry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 2004 | ISBN-10: 047085331X | ISBN-13: 978-0470853313 | Edition: 1

Bioinformatics, Biocomputing and Perl presents a modern introduction to bioinformatics computing skills and practice. Structuring its presentation around four main areas of study, this book covers the skills vital to the day-to-day activities of today’s bioinformatician. Each chapter contains a series of maxims designed to highlight key points and there are exercises to supplement and cement the introduced material.

Working with Perl presents an extended tutorial introduction to programming through Perl, the premier programming technology of the bioinformatics community. Even though no previous programming experience is assumed, completing the tutorial equips the reader with the ability to produce powerful custom programs with ease.

Working with Data applies the programming skills acquired to processing a variety of bioinformatics data. In addition to advice on working with important data stores such as the Protein DataBank, SWISS-PROT, EMBL and the GenBank, considerable discussion is devoted to using bioinformatics data to populate relational database systems. The popular MySQL database is used in all examples.

Working with the Web presents a discussion of the Web-based technologies that allow the bioinformatics researcher to publish both data and applications on the Internet.

Working with Applications shifts gear from creating custom programs to using them. The tools described include Clustal-W, EMBOSS, STRIDE, BLAST and Xmgrace. An introduction to the important Bioperl Project concludes this chapter and rounds off the book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...such a helpful and relevant book...I am following [an] MSc distance learning course in Bioinformatics...I would have been at a complete loss without your book!" (Susan Tzotzos MSc, PhD, Vienna, Austria)

From the Back Cover

Bioinformatics, Biocomputing and Perl presents an extended tutorial introduction to programming through Perl, the premier programming technology of the bioinformatics community. Even though no previous programming experience is assumed, completing the tutorial equips the reader with the ability to produce powerful custom programs with ease.

Working with Data applies the programming skills acquired to processing a variety of bioinformatics data. In addition to advice on working with important data stores such as the Protein DataBank, SWISS-PROT, EMBL and the GenBank, considerable discussion is devoted to using bioinformatics data to populate relational database systems. The popular MySQL database is used in all examples.

Working with the Web presents a discussion of the Web-based technologies that allow the bioinformatics researcher to publish both data and applications on the Internet.

Working with Applications shifts gear from creating custom programs to using them. The tools described include Clustal-W, EMBOSS, STRIDE, BLAST and Xmgrace. An introduction to the important Bioperl Project concludes this chapter and rounds off the book.

Each chapter contains a series of maxims designed to highlight key points and there are exercises to supplement and cement the introduced material. Source code, related links, errata and presentation materials are provided at glasnost.itcarlow.ie/~biobook/index.html (in PowerPoint format).

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 506 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (July 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047085331X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470853313
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,867,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Bioinformatics Biocomputing and Perl is a reasonable tutorial to Perl., July 23, 2009

By 

Heinz D. Falenski (Sacramento, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bioinformatics Biocomputing and Perl: An Introduction to Bioinformatics Computing Skills and Practice (Paperback)

I like this book as a tutorial. I am teaching myself Perl with this book. The chapter examples are good practice and the exercises at the end of the chapters are reasonable. I am about 1/4 through the book, and so far am enjoying the learning process.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst bioinformatics book I have read, April 10, 2005

By 

Robert M. Rutledge - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bioinformatics Biocomputing and Perl: An Introduction to Bioinformatics Computing Skills and Practice (Paperback)

I have been programming and working as a biologist for the past 6 years, but I have had only a small exposure to Perl. When I read this book description, I was excited since it indicated that Perl would be taught from the ground up and from the bioinformatics perspective. While the perspective is as advertised, this is still a terrible book. Unless you know something about Perl (and programming in general) before you begin, you will be lost. The authors organize some material well, but often relevant items are completely missing. They almost completely abandon Windows users when it would only take a few more sentences to address the difference between Unix and Windows. The end of chapter exercises are poorly thought out and do not provide sufficient practice for the novice. Frequently I found myself referring to "Beginning Perl for Bioinformatics" to make sense of the Moorhouse and Barry book.