Bioinformatics has become emerging field and has been used in various areas of research. The principal goal of bioinformatics is to enhance the understanding of biological processes.
Bioinformatics implicates the establishment and encroachment of databases, algorithms, computational and statistical techniques and theory to solve formal and practical problems originating from the management and analysis of biological data.
Bioinformatics is being practiced in the following fields:
Molecular medicine
Molecular medicine is a spacious field, in which chemical, physical, biological and medical techniques are used to depict molecular structures and mechanisms, identify essential molecular and genetic errors of disease, and to develop molecular interventions to correct them.
The human genome completion implies that we can explore for the genes directly associated with different diseases and begins to understand the molecular basis of these diseases more clearly. By getting this new knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of disease it will enable better treatments, cures and even preventative tests to be developed.
Personalized medicine
Personalized medicine is a medical model emphasizing the efficient use of information about a patient and by using this information we can select or optimize patient's preventative and therapeutic care. As genetic code varies from person to person and affects the body's response to drugs, there will be increased risk of disease that will also vary person to person.
With the development of pharmacogenomics clinical medicine will become more personalized.
Personalized medicine can largely define the scope and nature of human biological variation that allows the targeting of medical treatment which may include drugs or cell therapies.
As a result, potentially lifesaving drugs never make it to the marketplace. To find the best drug that react with particular patient doctors have to use trial and error as those with the same clinical symptoms can show a wide range of responses to the same treatment. In the future, doctors will be capable of analyzing patient's genetic profile and recommend the best available drug therapy and dosage from the beginning.
Preventative medicine
Application of bioinformatics in which preventive medicine or preventive care are taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms.
The development of diagnostic tests are needed which provides precise details of the genetic mechanism of disease to measure an individual's inclination to different diseases which may become a distinct reality.
Pharmaceutical companies are looking forward for the preventive actions such as change of life or having treatment at the initial stages. It will more likely to be successful when treating with the disease.
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References: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/bioinformatics/bioinf_realworld_1.html