Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science - Bioinformatics

The David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science has an international reputation in teaching, academics, research, and employment. We attract exceptional students from all over the world to study and conduct research with our award-winning faculty. You can participate in research projects in a wide variety of topics with our internationally acclaimed researchers. Our research spans the field of computer science, from core work on systems, theory and programming languages to human-computer interaction, DNA and quantum computing to theoretical and applied machine learning, just to name a few. As a graduate student, you will: Access research-intensive lab spaces. Gain the opportunity to publish your work in top conferences and journals. Present at premier conferences in front of peers, industry leaders, researchers, and experts in your field. As a graduate student, you will have the independence to pursue your preferred area of research with a faculty If you want to continue pursuing research and expand your learning, you will work with a supervisor to develop a thesis. As a graduate student at the PhD level you will be expected to conduct meaningful research that expands the scope of your graduate work.

Scientists have developed high-throughput tools to probe the inner workings of living cells. Technologies that obtain sequence information from DNA, RNA and protein molecules work in conjunction with tools such as X-ray devices, nuclear magnetic resonance machines and cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the three-dimensional conformation of these molecules. More recent technologies such as next-generation DNA, RNA and protein sequencing along with mass spectrometry strive to investigate the interactions between the various proteins and genes within a cell. The result of these investigations is the production of huge amounts of data. The objective of bioinformatics is to store, retrieve, manipulate, visualize, analyze, integrate and interpret data from a variety of data sources so we can fully understand the vast array of processes that occur in living cells, as well as understand Earth's biodiversity by revealing species, together with their dynamics and interactions. For human health, understanding the disease pathway is essential to treat the more than 6,000 genetic disorders along with cancers and Alzheimer's disease and many communicable diseases. Applications of this knowledge include drug design and medical diagnostic procedures. Similarly, understanding the biological processes of other species including microorganisms will provide insights relevant in agriculture, biotechnology and fundamental biology.

A Master's degree in Computer Science with a 78% average.
Student with an undergraduate degree in Computer Science may apply for admission directly to the PhD program. Successful applicants will have an outstanding academic record, breadth of knowledge in computer science, and strong letters of recommendation.
PhD applicants may be admitted into the Master of Mathematics (MMath) program. Like all MMath students, they will have the option to transfer into the PhD program before completing the master's thesis if their performance warrants.
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Supplementary information form (SIF)
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Transcript(s)

References
Three references are required, at least two academic
Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
TOEFL 93 (writing 22, speaking 22), IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0, speaking 6.5)