Technology Access Program
The Idaho INBRE Data Science Core’s Technology Access program supports biomedical research projects in states including Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wyoming, providing funding for core facility use, consulting, and training in big data analysis. Successful applicants receive $3,000-$6,000, with funds required to be used by February each year, and the program anticipates making 8-12 awards annually
Idaho INBRE provides RAIN member states with access to Bioinformatics Education through four degree programs and extensive online training modules. Modules include training students and faculty in bioinformatics, biostatistics, computer science, and statistics. An online Bioinformatics Education Repository housing a vetted, community-curated resource for learning or teaching bioinformatics is also available with updated material organized in three categories:
- Bioinformatics Background with topics in molecular biology, computer science, statistics and probability
- Basic Bioinformatics with topics in database content and retrieval, bioinformatics tools and data interpretation
- Specialized Bioinformatics with topics in omics, macromolecules, and pathways
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB)
The University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB). BCB is a research-intensive interdisciplinary graduate program established with INBRE support in 2003 that trains graduate students with an interdisciplinary core curriculum, a required rotation/internship outside their area of expertise, in-depth training in one area, and opportunities for cutting edge research. The program’s main focus areas include computer sciences, biological sciences, and mathematical and statistical sciences to prepare students for solving complex problems in health sciences, biotechnology, engineering, and other industries. Students have access to state of the art core facilities, including Idaho’s Computational and Genomics Resources Core facilities.
Lewis-Clark State College B.S. degree in Bioinformatics
Lewis-Clark State College (LC State) in Lewiston, Idaho, offers a Bachelor of Science degree program in Bioinformatics, addressing pressing challenges to sustainable life on Earth such as renewable energy, food security, species conservation, forest health, and disease prevention. Biotechnological advancements like precise genome editing and high-throughput DNA sequencing hold promise in tackling these issues, leading to breakthroughs in cancer genomics, genetic disorders, biofuels, and drug discovery. The burgeoning bioeconomy of the 21st century has created career opportunities in fields like cancer genomics, precision agriculture, and pharmacogenomics, demanding specialized expertise in bioinformatics. LC State’s undergraduate program offers a cost-effective education in small classroom settings with access to high-performance computing clusters for research and data analysis, equipping students with essential skills for navigating large-scale DNA sequencing datasets.
Boise State University offers an M.S. degree in Bioinformatics.
Boise State University offers an M.S. degree in Bioinformatics. This interdisciplinary program prepares students in analysis and interpretation of large-scale biological datasets and incorporates biology, biochemistry, mathematics, statistics, computing, and engineering. Students receiving the M.S. in Bioinformatics will typically complete a research thesis but a “non-thesis” option will be available for students who complete a project or research article.
Bioinformatics faculty actively pursue biomedical research funding opportunities and are currently investigators in various ongoing NIH and NSF funded research projects. As a result, students have opportunities for undergraduate research mentoring, summer research assistantships, internships, research conference presentations and scientific publications.