Bioinformatics - Research

Course Overview

This general discipline within the School has an expanding research activity with postgraduate students (PhD and MSc) and postdoctoral researchers frequently involved in collaborative projects with other researchers at University of Galway, elsewhere in Ireland and overseas.



This relatively new discipline involves computational and statistical modelling and analysis of largescale biomolecular data. Bioinformatics research is inherently interdisciplinary and could appeal to students from molecular life science (e.g. biochemistry), chemistry, physics, engineering, statistics or mathematics. Current work includes modeling viral evolution, discovery of human polymorphisms that affect gene expression or mRNA splicing, and genome informatics, including algorithm development and functional genomics/epigenomics.

Candidates for the degree of PhD or MSc by research must have reached a high honours standard (minimum H2.2 [or equivalent international qualification] for an MSc) at the examination for the primary degree or presented such other evidence as will satisfy the Head of School and the College of his/her fitness.

Applications to most postgraduate programmes at University of Galway are made online via www.universityofgalway.ie/apply (see "Application Weblink").

MSc (Bioinformatics), full-time

Research Areas


Current work includes modeling viral evolution, discovery of human polymorphisms that affect gene expression or mRNA splicing, and genome informatics, including algorithm development and functional genomics/epigenomics.