Graduate Certificate in Chemical Informatics
The field of chemical informatics (also known as chemoinformatics) has become increasingly important in the last few years in drug companies and other life science research organizations. New techniques such as combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput screening are being applied at an ever-increasing rate to chemical research, so the volume of data that chemists and life science researchers must deal with is overwhelming. New disciplines such as chemogenomics and proteomics require complex mining of chemical and related information. The Graduate Certificate in Chemical Informatics Program is designed specifically to help practitioners in industry, government, and academic centers gain the skills they need to include effective chemical informatics techniques in their approaches to information technology.
The Indiana University School of Informatics is a leader in the developing field of informatics, and it includes the first major chemical informatics learning and research center in the U.S. The chemical informatics program has recently received substantial funding from the NIH to build an exploratory center for chemoinformatics research, and it has pioneered the use of Distance Education techniques in the teaching of chemical informatics courses.
Completion of four courses is required in order to qualify for the certificate. For each course, students have the option of attending a local classroom on the Bloomington or Indianapolis campus or joining the class remotely using a teleconference and web conferencing system. For remote access, all that is required is an internet-connected computer and a telephone (to call a toll-free number). The four courses are:
- I571 Chemical Information Technology (3 credit hrs)
- I572 Computational Chemistry and Molecular Modeling (3 credit hrs)
- I573 Programming for Chemical & Life Science Informatics (3 credit hrs)
- I553 Independent Study in Chemical Informatics (3 credit hrs)
Under the guidance of a School of Informatics faculty member, the students would need to demonstrate in the independent study course mastery of the tools and techniques taught in the first three courses and the ability to apply those to problems or projects approved by the instructor.
Participants in the certificate program must have a bachelor’s degree with appropriate computing skills and must demonstrate a strong need or desire to learn and utilize chemical informatics techniques. Formal admission to Indiana University is required. The program is primarily aimed at U.S. residents. Those interested in pursuing the program outside the U.S. should contact us to discuss possible arrangements.
Upon successful completion of all coursework over a maximum three-year period, the Graduate Certificate in Chemical Informatics will be awarded. The certificate will be signed by the Director of the Chemical Informatics Program and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The Certificate is a credential solely of the School of Informatics, but credits gained in the certificate program may be used as part of other IU programs and degrees courses (only after formal admission to those programs/degrees and on the terms of those programs/degrees). In-state course rates are charged for all students. For more information, visit the School of Informatics homepage (www.informatics.indiana.edu) or contact:
David Wild
Associate Director of Chemical Informatics
Indiana University School of Informatics
djwild@indiana.edu
Tel. (812) 856-1848
