Skip to main content

Cluster Lead:

Shaojie Zhang, Ph.D.

Professor of Computer Science Shaojie.Zhang@ucf.edu

Tremendous progress has been made over the past three decades in unlocking the mysteries of life. This progress has been driven by a combination of advances in technologies that enable the sequencing of biomolecules (DNA/Protein) and the development of efficient computational algorithms to analyze the large quantities of data generated by these technologies. These advances have allowed us to decipher the genomes of thousands of species and provided significant insights into the inner workings of cells. The study of biological systems and their genomes is an interdisciplinary research area, and progress has been driven by contributions from both biological and mathematical sciences.

The Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster (GBC) was created to inspire cross-cutting research that leverages UCF’s strengths in medicine, evolution and ecology, and computer science. GBC faculty use genomic tools to address research questions in a wide range of areas in the biological domain, including (i) monitoring biodiversity and understanding how it is impacted by environmental factors, (ii) studying the evolution and spread of infectious diseases, (iii) understanding the genetic basis of different cancers, (iv) predicting drug responses, and (v) understanding the structure and function of microbial ecosystems. On the computational front, research focus areas include combinatorial algorithms, machine learning and AI to enable efficient analysis of big data in genomics.

In The News


Deadly Frog Disease More Prevalent in Central Florida Than Expected, UCF Study Finds
As climate change alters temperature and rainfall patterns in North America, researchers say more areas could experience conditions favorable to…
UCF Doctoral Candidate Works to Create a ‘Bioassessment Toolkit’
Ashley Reaume’s research investigates biodiversity in coastal communities. She hopes to make this knowledge more accessible through the creation of…
Monitoring Genetic Mutations Will Be Important for Florida Panther Management
In a new study led by UCF, researchers discovered a suite of mutations in Florida panthers that originated from Texas…

Genomics and Bioinformatics Degree Programs

Programs to train students in the fundamental theory, methodologies, and applications of genomics.

Genomics and Bioinformatics Faculty