Undergraduate research position in computational genomics

One undergraduate research position is available in the lab of William Stafford Noble in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

This project involves developing software for the analysis of patterns in functional genomics data from the ENCODE Project, and analyzing data with this software. This is an extension of the Segway project. The researcher will work closely with Dr. Noble and a postdoctoral fellow on this project.

Our research group develops and applies computational techniques for modeling and understanding biological processes at the molecular level. Our research emphasizes the application of statistical and machine learning techniques, such as dynamic Bayesian networks and support vector machines. We apply these techniques to various types of biological data, including DNA and protein sequence data, shotgun proteomics mass spectrometry data, and a variety of high-throughput genomic data types. We also develop and maintain a variety of software to support research in molecular biology.

This is a paid position of 10–40 hours each week. It is also possible for a student to perform some or all of the work for research credit. The researcher will learn genomics and programming techniques, and may have the opportunity to be a co-author on research papers and to participate in ENCODE Project Consortium activities.

Experience or coursework in programming and strong written and oral communication skills are essential. Unix programming and Python experience are strongly recommended. Knowledge of molecular biology and the R statistical environment are helpful.