Stowers Investigator Julia Zeitlinger, Ph.D., explained why investing in the training of computational biologists is more essential than ever, “As our ability to collect data has increased, answering fundamental questions in biology requires computational methods. Progress in artificial intelligence is providing opportunities to analyze and detect patterns within data in an unprecedented fashion, enabling systematic investigation of the tree of life and ultimately what makes us human.”

Opportunities for early-career computational scientists to apply their skills to answering questions in foundational biology tend to be concentrated on the East and West coasts. The Computational Biology Scholars Program seeks to fill in this gap by creating new possibilities to perform cutting-edge, collaborative, and multidisciplinary computational science in the Midwest.

“Participants who complete our program will be uniquely positioned for success in several ways—not only will they gain an understanding for how to apply bioinformatics to biology, but they will also have opportunities to contribute to current biological problems being studied at the Institute,” said Unruh. “Imagine being part of a team that discovers how animals regenerate missing body parts or utilizing artificial intelligence to model the molecular regulation of animal development.”

Potential scholars with a bachelor’s degree or higher in computer science, bioinformatics, and related fields, or a biology degree with experience in coding are encouraged to apply before the deadline on March 22, 2024.