On March 9, Garrett Dancik, professor of computer science and bioinformatics, presented research and current developments in bioinformatics and computational biology during the faculty scholar’s forum at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Bioinformatics – which combines the words “biology” and “information” – is the study and utilization of methods for storing, retrieving and analyzing biological data. Dancik’s research involves applying statistical, mathematical, and computational models to answer biological questions and gain insight into biological systems.
Dancik’s recent work focuses on analyzing gene expression data and identifying prognostic tumor biomarkers. Dancik has studied cell cycle proliferation to predict outcomes in bladder cancer and lung adenocarcinoma. Cell proliferation is an increase in the number of cells as a result of growth and division. Cell proliferation is regulated by the cell cycle, which is divided into a series of phases. Through his research will cell cycle proliferation, Dancik has been able to create an online tool for evaluating diagnostic and prognostic gene expression biomarkers in bladder and lung cancers. His research found that the cell cycle is of central importance in determining prognosis for patients with bladder cancer and lung adenocarcinoma.
For further information or if you have a research study that would benefit from a bioinformatics analysis please contact dancikg@easternct.edu.
