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Computational Biology to equip you with future workplace

CarnegieMellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar(WCMC-Q), and Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) together have introduced two new collaborative undergraduate degrees in the biological sciences and computational biology. 

Deans of CMU-Q and WCMC-Q, Dr. Ilker Baybars and Dr. Javaid Sheikh have together announced the new programmes alongside President of QF, Dr. Fathy Saoud. Dr. Kenneth Hovis, assistant teaching professor of biology at CMU-Q in a joint press conference held lately. 

Graduates of these programs will have the scientific and analytic ability to meet the demands of the future workplace and be able to contribute to cutting-edge research in fields such as biomedicine, biotechnology and bioengineering. 
The two new joint bachelor of sciences draw on the unparalleled expertise of two world-class institutions. CMU was the first university in the United States to offer an undergraduate degree in computational biology. WCMC in New York is among the top ranked medical research centers in the United States. Both the biological sciences and computational biology degrees are offered in collaboration with their associated departments at CMU in Pittsburgh – the Department of Biological Sciences and the Lane Center for Computational Biology.

It is exciting that a student can study at two internationally renowned institutions to earn their degree. These programs, either in biological sciences or computational biology, will not only place our students at the forefront of pioneering research, but make them leaders in the fields of science and medicine. This is part of Qatar’s new policy which seriously looking for a knowledge-based economy with highly qualified job applicants. 

CMU-Q enrolled six students this past year into the biological sciences program. They will undertake a rigorous, quantitative course of study that requires substantial laboratory experience. Once fully established, the programs in biological sciences and computational biology are expected to annually enroll between 20 and 25 students. The core curriculum includes biology, physics, biochemistry, math; and both organic and experimental organic chemistry – some of which are taught at WCMC.

Experts believe that the future of science lies in cross-disciplinary efforts. Students completing the degree in computational biology will apply computer science techniques to complex biological problems. The program will position enrollees to meet needs already present within biological research, combining WCMC’s biological tradition with CMU’s pioneering computer science work. As in Pittsburgh, the degree in Qatar will only be offered to students who complete their first year in the biology program, whereupon they will be able to assess if complementing their biological studies with the methodological and analytical tools to model biological data sets is intellectually of interest. Students who study computational biology will be able to harness technology and innovation to solve complex biological questions that 10 years ago were unimaginable.

Biology and medicine are undergoing incredible advances in the areas of biotechnology, bioinformatics, and genomics. Our two new majors are designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary education to enable them to become leaders in research, innovation, and technology in the sciences in Qatar, throughout the region and around the world. We see CMU-Q along with WCMC-Q, as partners in the Qatar National Vision 2030 to bring world-class education and van guarding research in the sciences to this region. We want to do this by strengthening the pipeline of students who are trained to tackle some of today’s most important biological problems, with the application of theories and computational tools at the forefront.”

Each year, CMU-Q continues to provide new and relevant course work for its students. Collaborative programs like these are one way in which the university prepares its undergraduates for the marketplace of the future.

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