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We are proud to invite You at the
1st Bioinformatics Conference
at "La Sapienza" in Rome
Aula Magna, on Wednesday March, 12th 2003
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| "La Sapienza" University: Chancellorship |
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The last decades have witnessed remarkable developments in biomolecular research bearing
promising scientific implications. In 1990 the well-known Human Genome Project started
and, in June 2000, the complete sequencing of human DNA was annouced. Among the main
objectives of the project is to take advantage of all the gained knowledge for the
development of new therapeutical strategies to cure thousands of genetic diseases.
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This outstanding result was achieved thanks to massive use of computers (for the construction
of genomic databases), but also to the design of sophisticated algorithms. This gave a new
impulse to a recent discipline, known as computational biology or bioinformatics, which is
at the intersection between molecular biology, informatics and statistics and deals with the
development of algorithms, methodologies and systems to analyse biological data and build
biological simulation models.
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These studies seem to confirm the theory that biosciences have gained such an importance to
have considerable bioethic implications, since they are modifying the relationship between
man and nature. In fact, in the USA the Department of Energy and the National Institute of
Health set aside part of their funds for the study of the social, legal and ethical issues
connected with the availability of genetic information.
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The impact of the genomic revolution on the job market should not be underrated either. On one
hand there will be undeniable advantages in the production of drugs and chemical products,
thanks to the close synergy between biology and pharmaceutical chemistry. This will create new
job opportunities and favour the development of new biotechnological activities. On the other
hand investors in genomics will patent genes and economically important applications, and
countries with emerging economy will have to pay for the possible benefits.
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