This page was translated automatically using artificial intelligence (DeepL). The German version is binding. More information about automatic translation
Why? – Data processing is now a central element in the life sciences too. Whether it involves operational data from a bioreactor, the sequencing of genetic information or the analysis of microscopic images, data is always generated and data-processing software is always used. In day-to-day operations, it is sufficient simply to know how to use such software. In research and development, however, it is essential to experiment with the collected data, examine it in different contexts and analyse it using a variety of software. This is one of Professor Wünschiers’ areas of expertise. Even as a young experimental biologist, he recognised the power of bioinformatic data processing and analysis and employed it as a tool in his research. By comparing cyanobacterial genome data, he made a significant contribution to one of the most frequently cited scientific publications on the hydrogen metabolism of cyanobacteria, published in 2002 (10.1128/mmbr.66.1.1-20.2002). In order to pass on his skill in handling biological data via the command line of the Linux operating system to academic talent, he developed a course in computational biology at the University of Cologne in 2001. This course builds on experimental biology and continues to this day. The course materials were developed into the first edition of his textbook *Computational Biology*, published in 2004. The second edition followed in 2013. Its success is measurable not so much on the world’s bookshelves as in the number of eBook downloads: over 145,000. That is a great deal for a rather niche textbook, which is why Springer Nature sought to produce an updated edition. Professor Wünschiers presented this in February 2025. In addition to the updates, the book has also been expanded to include the important topic of data management (e.g. GitHub, Jupyter Notebook) and new, fully worked-through examples (e.g. DNA sequence analysis, genome-wide association study). Professor Catrin Westphal, an agroecologist at the University of Göttingen, concludes her foreword with the sentence: “This knowledge and computational skills are more than necessary to address upcoming challenges in an increasingly data-driven world.”
[Wünschiers (2025) Computational Biology – A Practical Introduction to Bio Data Juggling with Worked Examples. Springer Nature, ISBN 978-3-031-70313-3, 513 pages]
