Professionals in need of such training and bioethicists will be interested.

The rapidly expanding field of biotechnology presents an enormous challenge in keeping pace with current developments. In response to the needs of the biotechnology community, hundreds of information products have emerged. A wide variety of databases and print products supplies information targeted to the research, technological, and commercial aspects of biotechnology. For the research community, the most important development is the emergence of databases containing vast quantities of primary research data from genetic mapping and sequencing projects. Traditionally, the journal literature has been the major source of primary research information, and it continues to be indispensable. However, because of the vast amounts of research data generated by genetic sequencing and mapping projects, journals cannot reproduce the data in full, and the primary research databases have become extensions of experimental laboratories. The databases range in size and coverage from the comprehensive databases such as GenBank, which covers all known DNA sequences, to specialized databases focusing on a single organism, chromosome, or class of protein.

Computers have become an essential component of modern biology. They help to manage the vast and increasing amount of biological data and continue to play an integral role in the discovery of new biological relationships. This in silico approach to biology has helped to reshape the modern biological sciences. With the biological revolution now among us, it is imperative that each scientist develop and hone today’s bioinformatics skills, if only at a rudimentary level. Bioinformatics Methods and Protocols was conceived as part of the Methods in Molecular Biology series to meet this challenge and to provide the experienced user with useful tips and an up-to-date overview of current developments. It builds upon the foundation that was provided in the two-volume set published in 1994 entitled Computer Analysis of Sequence Data. We divided Bioinformatics Methods and Protocols into five parts, including a thorough survey of the basic sequence analysis software packages that are available at most institutions, as well as the design and implemen- tion of an essential introductory Bioinformatics course. In addition, we included sections describing specialized noncommercial software, databases, and other resources available as part of the World Wide Web and a stimul- ing discussion of some of the computational challenges biologists now face and likely future solutions.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.