This introductory course in bioinformatics covers the application of modern computational methods to the fundamentals of molecular biology (protein and DNA structure, transcription and translation). The biochemical tools of molecular biology will be discussed. Methods of aligning DNA sequences will be studied in relation to mutations, phylogenetic tree analysis, forensic science, and genetic diseases. Algorithms for protein structure prediction, microarray technology and gene expression will be explored. Computer based lab exercises will support the topics presented.