Uruguay's ORT University to launch Bioinformatics degree in 2027

Universidad ORT Uruguay is launching a new Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics in March 2027, responding to a growing global demand for professionals who can integrate biology, data science, and artificial intelligence. This interdisciplinary field is crucial for accelerating innovation in health, biotechnology, and research.

The program aims to equip specialists to handle the vast amounts of biological information generated by hospitals, laboratories, and research centers. "Bioinformatics combines several disciplines. On one hand, biology, which generates data like DNA sequences or protein structures. On the other, computer science, which allows processing these large and complex volumes of information," explained Ignacio Ferrés, academic coordinator for the program.

Ferrés elaborated that bioinformaticians analyze this data using programming and high-performance computing tools to derive conclusions for researchers and medical professionals. While the application of computing to biology began decades ago, the field gained significant momentum with projects like the Human Genome Project and recent advancements in artificial intelligence.

Today, bioinformatics has direct applications in healthcare, including identifying genetic variants linked to diseases, speeding up drug development, designing vaccines, and monitoring viruses. "Genomic sequencing allowed us to track the emergence and circulation of new virus variants during the COVID-19 pandemic," Ferrés noted. The decreasing cost of genetic sequencing further expands its accessibility and application across various domains.