Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Career and Academic Paths
Academic Advising
Honors Program
Special Opportunities
Tutorial Center
Student Organizations

Faculty

Professors

Charles J. Bieberich
B.S., University of Tampa, 1982; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1987

Thomas Cronin
SciB., Dickinson College, 1967; M.S., Duke University, 1969; Ph.D., Duke University, 1979

Phillip J. Farabaugh
B.A., University of California, San Diego, 1972; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1978

Jeffery W. Leips
B.S., Florida State University, 1983; Ph.D., 1997

Lasse Lindahl
M.S., University of Copenhagen (Denmark), 1969; Ph.D., 1973

Kevin Omland
B.A., Dartmouth College, 1985; Ph.D., The University at Albany, 1995

Phyllis R. Robinson
B.A., Wellesley College, 1973; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1981

Suzanne O. Rosenberg
A.B., Barnard College, 1970; Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1975

Phillip S. Sokolove
B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1964; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1969

Richard E. Wolf, Jr.
B.A., University of Cincinnati, 1963; M.S., 1968; Ph.D., University of Cincinnati, 1970

Associate Professors

Rachel Brewster
S.F.B., University of Geneva (Switzerland), 1989; Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1996

Mauricio M. Bustos
B.A., Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Argentina), 1982; Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 1986

David M. Eisenmann
B.S., University of Pennsylvania, 1985; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1992

Ivan Erill
B.S., Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 1996; M.Eng., 2000, Eng. D., 2002

Maricel Kann
B.S., Universidad de la República (Uruguay), 1991; M.S., 1994; Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2001

Weihong Lin
B.S., Zhongsham University (China), 1982; M.S., 1988; Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1998

Hua Lu
B.S., Nanjing University (China), 1990; M.S., 1993; Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1999

Tamra Mendelson
B.S., University of Wisconsin, 1991; P.h.D., Duke University, 2001.

Stephen M. Miller
B.S., Case Western Reserve University, 1984; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1991

Harold J. Schreier
B.S., California Polytechnic State University, 1978; Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 1983

Assistant Professors

Jeffrey Gardner
B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002; Ph.D., 2008

Bernard Lohr
A.B., Cornell University, 1984; M.S., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1989; Ph.D., Duke University, 1995

Michelle Starz-Gaiano
B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1994; Ph.D., New York University, 2002

Senior Lecturers

Steven Caruso
B.S., University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1994; Ph.D., 2002

Esther Fleischmann
B.A., New York University, 1974; Ph.D., University of Georgia 1988

Sarah Leupen
B.A., Oberlin College, 1993; Ph.D., Northwestern University, 1998

Cynthia Wagner
B.A., Concordia College, 1981; Ph.D., Washington University, 1998

Julia B. Wolf
B.S., Brenau College, 1979; M.S., University of Maryland Baltimore Country, 1983

Lecturers/Instructors

Susan Gdovin
B.S., Shippensburg University, 1980; Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, 1991

Elizabeth Feeser
B.S. Georgetown University, 2002; Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, 2008

Jennifer Hughes
B.S., University College Cork, Ireland, 1998; Ph.D. University College, Dublin, Ireland 2003

Tracy A. Smith
B.S., Washington College, 2000; Ph.D. University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2014

Karen Whitworth
B.S., University of Georgia, 2006; Ph.D. The Johns Hopkins University, 2012

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Mariajose Castellanos
B.S., Autonomous University of Mexico, 1999; Ph.D., Cornell University, 2005

Douglas D. Frey
B.S., Stanford University, 1978; M.S., University of California, Berkeley, 1980; Ph.D., 1984

Mark R. Marten
B.S., State University of New York at Buffalo, 1986; M.S., Purdue University, 1988; Ph.D., 1991

Govind Rao
B.S., Indian Institute of Technology (Madras, India), 1984; Ph.D., Drexel University, 1987

Chemistry And Biochemistry

Bradley R. Arnold
B.S., Dalhousie University, 1983; Ph.D., University of Utah, 1991

C. Allen Bush
B.A., Cornell University, 1961; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1965

Richard L. Karpel
B.A., Queens College, 1965; Ph.D., Brandeis University, 1970

Michael F. Summers
B.S., University of West Florida, 1980; Ph.D., Emory University, 1984

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Hillol Kargupta
B.Tech., Regional Engineering College (India), 1988; M.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology (India), 1990; Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1996

Mathmatics and Statistics

Kathleen Hoffman
B.S., University of New Hampshire, 1991; Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1997

Florian Potra
B.S., Babes-Bolyai University (Romania), 1973; MS, 1974; Ph.D., University of Bucharest, 1980

Senior Research Scientist

Janice Zengel
B.A., McDaniel College, 1970; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1977.

Information Systems

Anthony F. Norcio
B.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 1965; B.S., 1968; M.L.S., 1973; Ph.D., The Catholic University of America, 1978

Carolyn Seaman
B.A., College of Wooster, 1986; M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1987; Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1996

Courses in this program are listed under BIOL and MATH and STAT and CHEM and PHYS and CMSC.

This program offers comprehensive training in the fields of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology by combining courses in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, computer science and mathematics. Graduates will acquire the necessary skills for automated querying and data analysis using complex databases, extraction of essential information from genomic and proteomic data, modeling of biological systems, as well as the design and development of software and algorithms to support these activities. Students also have the opportunity to engage in independent research in the lab, the field or off-campus, working one-on-one with a faculty mentor. The curriculum consists of 88-92 credits in biology, computer science and related disciplines (chemistry, information systems, mathematics and physics), complemented by two specific courses on Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. This program is appropriate for any student desiring a rich and multidisciplinary grounding in all the essential elements of bioinformatics and computational biology.

Career and Academic Paths

An undergraduate degree in bioinformatics and computational biology from UMBC provides students with an excellent background for employment in industry, academics, government or for graduate studies in the areas of bioinformatics, biology, computational biology or molecular biology. For specific requirements regarding graduate programs, students should consult the Graduate Catalog of the institution they are interested in attending. Major itineraries and their associated career pathways are outlined in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology requirements worksheet.

Academic Advising

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology majors who have not yet completed their gateway requirements will be advised by the undergraduate academic advisor for life sciences (see the description of degree requirements for details regarding the gateway). Subsequently, they will be assigned to one of the full-time faculty for advising. Students are required to see their advisors at least once each semester. Academic progress is monitored through graduation.

Honors Program

Bioinformatics and computational biology majors who have completed the following requirements will be eligible to enter the Biological Sciences Departmental Honors Program. The following courses, or acceptable transfer equivalents thereof, must have been completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.5: BIOL 141 , BIOL 142 , BIOL 302 , BIOL 303 , BIOL 313 and 495L; CHEM 101 , CHEM 102 , CHEM 351 ; MATH 151 and STAT 355 . Additionally, the student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and 3.25 overall.

This program, in addition to the regular requirements for the major, includes the following nine credits of coursework:

BIOL 499H - Undergraduate Laboratory/Field Research-Honors
(Two semesters for a minimum total of six credits)
BIOL 497H - Honors Capstone course
(One semester)

Eligible students should apply to the Biological Sciences Departmental Honors Committee. Forms are available in the biological sciences office.

Special Opportunities

Talented undergraduates committed to performing quality independent research are encouraged to apply for a variety of research opportunities offered by UMBC’s outstanding faculty. Under the guidance of faculty mentors, student research assistants work on their own lab research projects and help their mentors with important research. These unique, intensive experiences allow students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, learn how to write and read scientific papers, and expand their scientific understanding of computational biology concepts.

Tutorial Center

Bioinformatics students are invited to use the facilities of the Biological Sciences Tutorial Center, located in room 011 of the Biological Sciences Building. The center has 12 computer workstations for student use and two workstations for faculty. The center is open for students to study in groups, work on computer lab assignments and to access course Web pages and other information on the Web. Tutors are available for the biology core courses (Concepts of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Molecular and General Genetics, Cell Biology, Plant Biology and Animal Physiology).

Student Organizations

Biology Council of Majors (BIO/COM) All bioinformatics majors are welcome to join the Biology Council of Majors (BIO/COM). This very active student organization strives to promote the achievement of the professional ambitions of its members and to serve as a means of social contact among them.

Programs

Bachelor of Science

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, B.S.

Non-Degree

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Minor

Courses

Mathematics