bioinformatics

BIOLOGY × COMPUTATION

Read the patterns
hidden in life.

Bioinformatics turns sequences into evidence. Learn how by experimenting with the same ideas that power modern biological research—one approachable problem at a time.

Try the first exercise See how it works
ALIGNMENT IN PROGRESS
+11alignment score
A gap can reveal a stronger evolutionary relationship.

01 / LEARN BY DOING

Algorithms make more sense when you can touch the problem first.

Each exercise starts with a biological question, lets you test an idea, then introduces the computational method behind it. No installation, account, or prior coding experience needed.

  1. 01
    Observe

    Meet a small, real kind of biological problem.

  2. 02
    Experiment

    Change the data and see the result immediately.

  3. 03
    Understand

    Compare your intuition with the algorithm.

02 / INTERACTIVE EXERCISES

Start with a sequence.

Short lessons designed for an introductory university course—and for anyone curious about computational biology.

01
Available now · 10–15 min

Global sequence alignment

Build a DNA alignment by hand, tune its scoring rules, and compare your answer with Needleman–Wunsch.

DNADynamic programming
Next in the sequence

Local alignment, biological databases, and sequence search are coming next.

YOUR FIRST EXPERIMENT

Two sequences.
Many possible stories.

Open Alignment Lab