Incorporating bioinformatics in an algorithms course
Lawrence D’Antonio · ACM SIGCSE Bulletin · 2003
In this paper we examine ways in which ideas from the exciting new field of bioinformatics can be used in an algorithms course intended for computer science majors. Bioinformatics studies biological sequences such as DNA or protein that are the building blocks of life. Algorithms that involve searching, matching, or combining such sequences are primary tools in bioinformatics. These algorithms use many key ideas that are important to the computer science major, such as dynamic programming. In addition, bioinformatics makes for an interesting and timely application that can enliven the algorithms course.