Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics

Program Description

The department of Biological and Health Sciences will house the BS in Bioinformatics Program, which PAF-IAST intends to begin in the fall of 2022, because of the enormous amount of biological data that generated in biological sciences and the need for various bioinformatics tools for its analysis.

Being an interdisciplinary field of study, it incorporates various facets of Computer Science, Statistics, and Biology to develop software applications for understanding the biological data like DNA sequencing, protein analysis, evolutionary genetics etc. to gain skills that are in high demand.

Bioinformatics Program promote education and research and provide academic and professional excellence for immediate productivity in industrial, governmental, or clinical settings for the ultimate benefit of society. The field of Bioinformatics has emerged with a merger of biological science and computer science to help in storing, visualizing, and interpreting biological data. The program has been designed to equip the students with latest knowledge, tools, and techniques to develop algorithms/tools for protein/homology modelling, generating protein sequences and structure alignments and simulators for constructing true alignments.

Why Study at PAF IAST?

Location and Ambience

PAF IAST is nestled in natural mountains that flank its campus from all sides. The institute offers one  ravishing view of snow-capped peaks of Nathiagali and natural winding trails. Furthermore, to its north-west is Tarbela Lake, a journey of only a few kilometers from the campus. Moreover, set in the middle of the campus is a natural lake, fed by the springs of surrounding mountains. The campus is just a 3-kilometer drive from the Hazara Motorway. This results in an ideal setting equally conducive to academic activity. Most importantly, major cities like Islamabad, Abbottabad, are just an hour’s drive, while small towns like Wah, Hasanabadal, Taxila, and Swabi can be reached in just half an hour. All these features make PAF IAST the best biomedical sciences university in KPK. 

Technology Advancement and Foreign Partnership

This institute is an emerging center of excellences, with its own technology park. Therefore, all faculty members hold PhD degrees in appropriate disciplines. By virtue of its wide array of facilities and the facilitation for its students to learn. Furthermore, they benefit both from classroom teaching and faculty trained at premier Austrian universities/institutions. The institution is ideally cut out for imparting state-of–the-art engineering and allied education in Pakistan. Moreover, the institute enjoys close linkages with top ranking universities in Austria and China. As a result, we have already concluded with them formal agreements regarding student and faculty exchange programs, provision of dual degrees in certain areas, and the training support from foreign faculty. 

Academia-Industry Relationship

There is a strong relationship between academia and industry. As a result, this paves the way for job opportunities for students even in the midst of their studies. PAF IAST will serve as a welcome platform for the industry to share their requirements for a skilled workforce. Therefore, this will enable the institute to incorporate their valuable inputs in practical vocational training and expose the students to industrial perspectives.

On-Spot Industry Internship

Firstly, it will be a mandatory requirement for every student to do an internship every semester in an appropriate industry. Secondly, this will garner them practical experience related to their respective degree programs. To crown it all, Technology Park will afford them rare opportunities to apply themselves innovatively and become promising entrepreneurs.

Need and Merit-based Scholarships

Different types of local and foreign scholarship opportunities are available on need and merit base.

Associated Careers

A bioinformatic scientist has multifarious career paths after completion of BS in bioinformatics. They can become Professor, Science Technician, Research Assistant, Bioinformatics Scientist, Bioinformatics Analyst, Research Associate and Software Developer.

Lab Facilities

Our world- class facilities make PAF-IAST one of Pakistan’s best universities for research and study.

Human Genetics & Functional Genomics Lab

High Throughput Computer Lab

The students will acquire a solid understanding of functional genomics, high throughput techniques, and human genetics. The lab will create a learning environment based on experiment participation, group projects, undergraduate research projects, and interaction with faculty and peers. The data will be further analyzed in high throughput computer lab.