COMP 364: Computer Tools for the Life Sciences
Winter, 2008
Key information
Instructor: Prof. Ted Perkins
Office: McGill Centre for Bioinformatics (Duff, Room 332)
Email: perkins@mcb.mcgill.ca (preferred, include COMP 364 in subject)
Phone: 398-5018
Location: Trottier 3120
Time: 12:35pm - 1:25pm MWF
Course web page: www.mcb.mcgill.ca/~perkins/COMP364/index.html
Subject Matter
This course provides an introduction to concepts and computational tools useful in the storage, retrieval and analysis of large / heterogeneous / distributed data sets that increasingly characterize life science and medical research. The course will cover relational databases, structured query langauge (SQL), scripting to create data analysis pipelines as well as gather information from databases on the web, elementary image and digital movie processing, and select advanced topics. The course is targeted to students in life science departments with no or little background in computer science. Many practical examples will be discussed and practiced.
Course Materials
Teaching method and evaluation
Classes will be a mixture of lectures, cooperative / group problem solving, and computer laboratory. Students will be evaluated based on two components:
- 70% - Biweekly (roughly) homework assignments
- 30% - Three in-class quizzes (after each third of the course, roughly)
Class schedule
Broad schedule, to be made more detailed soon.
| Weeks | Topic |
| 1-4 | Introduction to Unix / Linux. Perl programming. |
| 5-8 | Relational databases. Data on the web. |
| 9-10 | Images and movies. |
| 11-13 | Select advanced topics. |
Computer resources
- Our classroom (Trottier 3120) is always open.
- Computers in the hallways and some labs run the same system (see www.cs.mcgill.ca/about/facilities/trottier). Your files are accessible on all these computers.
- General instructions on using the computer facilities are at http://socsinfo.cs.mcgill.ca/wiki/Main_Page.
- You can get an actual person to help you with facilities / computer questions (but not class questions) by contacting the SOCS Help Desk by emailing help@cs.mcgill.ca, phoning 514-398-7087, or in person at McConnell Engineering room 209N.
Academic integrity
McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information).