Bioinformatics

The rapid development of –omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, phenomics and metabolomics means that big data is at the heart of new discoveries in plant genetics and plant pathology.

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that involves the development and application of computational methods for the analysis of large-scale biological data ranging from the development of complex information systems storing experimental data through to visualisation tools and the downstream analysis of experimental data, to help users access and gain a deeper understanding of it. 

Part of the Information and Computational Sciences Department at The James Hutton Institute, the Applied Bioinformatics Group, comprises staff with experience in genomics, modelling, biological visualization, information systems, software development, systems biology and synthetic biology, who have a track record in the design and implementation of novel solutions to meet diverse client needs.

Software developed by the Applied Bioinformatics Group at the James Hutton Institute, is used worldwide.  This includes applications such as Germinate, Helium, GridScore, Tablet and Flapjack and covers everything from data collection through to data storage data visualization.

We also offer consultancy in the use and setting up of our software for specific needs.

Expertise within the group includes (but is not limited to) pathogen diagnostics, marker development, genome assembly and annotation, high-throughput genotyping, database and information systems development, software development, exome capture, RNA-sequencing, small RNAs, regulatory networks, protein engineering, alternative splicing, metabolic reconstruction, mobile applications development, algorithm development, bioinformatics consultancy and bioinformatics training.

The Applied Bioinformatics Group applies this expertise and experience to a range of projects, collaborating with partners across a wide breadth of sectors and disciplines.

Paul Shaw, Bioinformatician ICS

Current projects relate to:

  • Crops
  • Viral, bacterial and fungal plant pathogens
  • Pests

This is a unique offering of expertise, specific to agricultural science, but applicable to much more.  

bioinformatics software
Germinate website

Contact for more information

Dr Paul Shaw

Senior Research Scientist
Based in Dundee
E: Paul.Shaw@hutton.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1382 568864
Paul focuses on software development for plant genetic resources, genetics and plant breeding. He leads several projects where his research contributes towards making experimental data including plant passport, pedigree, phenotypic and genotypic data available to collaborators, research and breeding communities using a suite of database and visualization tools that his team develops. He is particularly interested in biological visualization and how data can be effectively presented, explored and accessed in logical, digestible chunks in order to gain maximum impact and insight. He is also interested in how biological entities, such as plant accessions in pedigrees, and samples in plant breeding and genetics experiments, can be visualized and modelled using graphs.
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