Introduction to Python for genetics

Learn how to simulate and model basic problems of genetics in the Programming language Python!

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Description

Many students and professionals of biosciences are not familiar with programming. However, the increasing amount of biological data generated every year, along with advances in biotechnology and the increasing role of informatics in life sciences makes the programming knowledge essential for biologists, biotechnologists, and so on! In this introductory course, you will learn how to model simple genetics problems using the programming language Python. First, you will learn how to implement the commands or data structures in Python. And Finally, we will model some problems in the field of genetics using the knowledge acquired so far.

Since this is an introductory course, we will not use third-party libraries, such as Biopython, matplotlib, pandas, etc., but only the built-in commands, modules, and data structures.

In the first section of the course, we have a very brief introduction to refresh some concepts of genetics, such as genes, alleles, frequency, etc... In the second part of the course, you'll learn the basic commands, data structures, and functions of Python. In these chapters, you must apply the knowledge acquired so far in the chapter to solve some problems related to genetics in Python! There are more than 20 exercises and challenges to be solved throughout the course!

Therefore, if you want to:

  1. Learn to think algorithmically

  2. Model problems of genetics in a programming language

  3. Learn how to use the most popular programming languages to model problems of biology


...this course is for you!

What You Will Learn!

  • You will learn how to model genetics problems with Python
  • The basic mendelian genetics
  • DNA replication
  • DNA transcription
  • DNA translation
  • The Hardy-Weinberg Theorem
  • The main variable types
  • User input
  • Arithmetic operations
  • Relational and logical operators
  • Conditional statements
  • For and while loops
  • Tuples, lists and dictionaries
  • Functions
  • Modules
  • File I/O
  • How to calculate the frequency of recombinant genotypes and estimate the gene distance
  • How to model the transcription process
  • How to model the translation process
  • How to solve a population genetics problem

Who Should Attend!

  • Biologists/biotechnologists
  • Biology/biotechnologists students
  • Programmers or computer scientists curious to understand the possible application of Python in genetics
  • Python and/or genetics enthusiasts