Bioinformatics for Researchers in Life Sciences: Tools and Learning Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that bioinformatics--a multidisciplinary field that combines biological knowledge with computer programming concerned with the acquisition, storage, analysis, and dissemination of biological data--has a fundamental role in scientific research strategies in all disciplines involved in fighting the virus and its variants. It aids in sequencing and annotating genomes and their observed mutations; analyzing gene and protein expression; simulation and modeling of DNA, RNA, proteins and biomolecular interactions; and mining of biological literature, among many other critical areas of research. Studies suggest that bioinformatics skills in the Latin American and Caribbean region are relatively incipient, and thus its scientific systems cannot take full advantage of the increasing availability of bioinformatic tools and data. This dataset is a catalog of bioinformatics software for researchers and professionals working in life sciences. It includes more than 300 different tools for varied uses, such as data analysis, visualization, repositories and databases, data storage services, scientific communication, marketplace and collaboration, and lab resource management. Most tools are available as web-based or desktop applications, while others are programming libraries. It also includes 10 suggested entries for other third-party repositories that could be of use.