Biological Database Design

Modern molecular biology research is generating complex scientific libraries of biological information producing a critical need for researchers to understand database models.  In this course you will learn the fundamentals of modern database design including relational, XML and NoSQL as applied to biological information.  This includes various omics data and clinical information management to bridge genotype, phenotype and exposure data in the era of precision medicine. 
 

The goal of this course:

• Provide students with appreciation of the strengths (and weaknesses) of modern data models including relational, XML and NoSQL.
• Introduce students to the processes and methods that will allow them to successfully design a database to store, retrieve, and manage biomedical data

• Explain key database concepts such as keys, normalizations, objects, attribute - value pairs, etc.
• Design a database system to effectively store, retrieve, and manage biomedical data.
• Integrate biological data in different data models from multiple sources, such as open access data from the public domain.