Bioinformatics is the study of large amounts of complex biological information. Often, that biological information takes the form of sequence data, which we obtain from the genomes of organisms ranging from tiny viruses to humans. We use computer software to analyze that sequence data in order to reveal patterns that can tell us something about the way an organism or group of organisms has mutated, adapted, or evolved.

The last decade has seen a revolution in terms of the rate at which sequence data can be produced, and bioinformatics is a fast-growing field that has applications across all biological disciplines. Ultimately, bioinformatics is a tool that is used to ask biological questions, ranging from “what mutations are responsible for giving rise to a specific cancer?” to “what is the genetic diversity of the whales living in this part of the ocean?” to “how does my gut microbiome change when I get food poisoning?” Increasingly, bioinformatics is becoming a crucial tool for biologists across many disciplines, and this will only continue to grow as our sequencing capabilities become faster and cheaper.

And besides, it’s a pretty powerful feeling to know that you have 10 million sequences at your fingertips, waiting for you to reveal a pattern that could teach you something fascinating about the organisms you’re studying.