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Topic: Python for Computational Biology  (Read 1696 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #2 –
This is actually somewhat what I do. The  nice thing about it is that you don't need to know a lick of biology (I certainly don't anyway). R is another language that's pretty common in the field although it's not nearly as flexible as python. One of the great things about python is that you can just delegate anything that's computationally expensive to C.

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #3 –
Maybe we should talk because I am very interested in entering this field and I am interested in R particularly.
 

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #4 –
Well it depends a lot on where you live. These kinds of jobs are mostly academic in nature (although there are some private companies in the field as well), so you'd probably have to join a lab of some sort. The city your are in will probably need to have a decent medical center/medical research facilities for these jobs to exist in the first place.

As for R itself, it's fairly straightforward. If you're familiar with any other programming language, it's a breeze to pick  up. Even if you aren't, it's still pretty simple anyway. Just remember it's one of those weird languages that starts its arrays with 1 and be careful with loops on arrays (they can be very slow if you call something that has to constantly reallocate the memory).

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Dudemanguy – on
Well it depends a lot on where you live. These kinds of jobs are mostly academic in nature (although there are some private companies in the field as well), so you'd probably have to join a lab of some sort. The city your are in will probably need to have a decent medical center/medical research facilities for these jobs to exist in the first place.

As for R itself, it's fairly straightforward. If you're familiar with any other programming language, it's a breeze to pick  up. Even if you aren't, it's still pretty simple anyway. Just remember it's one of those weird languages that starts its arrays with 1 and be careful with loops on arrays (they can be very slow if you call something that has to constantly reallocate the memory).


It might be strange to think about, but I live in Brooklyn :)

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #7 –
it helps to know a thing or two about statistics

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #8 –
I started with some machine language, programming geometry basically to CNC machines, then fortan (watfiv-**?), then dbase work and statistics on spss and sas, then I ended "trying" to learn C.  I gave up :)

I am just a user now and I like it better.

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #9 –
Quote from: fungalnet – on
I started with some machine language, programming geometry basically to CNC machines, then fortan (watfiv-**?), then dbase work and statistics on spss and sas, then I ended "trying" to learn C.  I gave up :)

I am just a user now and I like it better.

I started with extended basic on a vic 20.

I take that back.  I started with punchcards and basic around 1969 through school.

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #10 –
My first was punched ribbons, then it was cards, about 13 years after you say.  Then the luxury of vt100.
Basic in 1969, I thought it was invented in the 1980s and I thought it was programming for dummies.  I never liked it.
There was a developing discipline in the early 90s called medical informatics and one project I remember involved neural networks.  I remember thinking I made a mistake in disciplines and should have been there.  It fascinated me but I was too far off to start again.  I thought it was a place where math, sci.methodology, and philosophy were crossing paths, therefore conflict ..... FUN!!

Then I sold out to primitivism :)

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #11 –
No R programming language though

Re: Python for Computational Biology

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Dudemanguy – on
Well it depends a lot on where you live. These kinds of jobs are mostly academic in nature (although there are some private companies in the field as well), so you'd probably have to join a lab of some sort. The city your are in will probably need to have a decent medical center/medical research facilities for these jobs to exist in the first place.

As for R itself, it's fairly straightforward. If you're familiar with any other programming language, it's a breeze to pick  up. Even if you aren't, it's still pretty simple anyway. Just remember it's one of those weird languages that starts its arrays with 1 and be careful with loops on arrays (they can be very slow if you call something that has to constantly reallocate the memory).


How do I get into this business?