The Computational Biology Track is intended for students who wish to develop working knowledge of computational techniques and their applications to biomedical research. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies, e.g., for DNA sequencing and for measuring RNA expression via DNA microarrays, are changing the nature of biomedical research. They empower fundamental new understandings of biological mechanisms with far reaching applications to biological and medical sciences. To fulfill this promise, new computational techniques are needed to analyze genome sequences, protein structures, metabolic and regulatory pathways, evolutionary patterns and the genetic basis of disease. The computational-biology track seeks to provide state of the art understanding of this concomitant growth of high-throughput experimental techniques, computational techniques to analyze their data, the resulting new understandings of biological mechanisms and their applications to pharmacological and medical practice (from diagnosis to drug design).
1. Overall Requirements
Students must complete a total of 30 points:
Computational Biology track requires:
- Breadth courses
- Required Track courses (6pts)
- Track Electives (6pts)
- General Electives (6pts)2 required courses (6 points): COMS W4761 (Computational Genomics) and either COMS W4771 or SIEO W4150.
6 elective credits at the 6000-level, at least 3 of these 6000-level credits must be selected from the list of Elective Track Courses (See Section 4).
6 credits of general elective graduate courses, at 4000 level or above; at least 3 of these credits must be CS graduate courses.
At least 3 elective credits must be selected from courses in biological departments.
Students, who waive core or track requirements using previous courses, may complete the 30 graduate credits by expanding their electives selected from (a) the list of required track courses; (b) the list of elective track courses; or (c) other graduate courses.
2. Breadth Requirements
Students are required to satisfy Breadth Requirements by taking 1
course from Group 1, 1 course from Group 2, 1 course from Group 3, and 1
more course from any of the three groups.
| Group | Courses |
| Group 1 (Systems) | All CS 41xx courses except CS 416x and CS 417x |
| Group 2 (Theory) | All CS 42xx courses and COSR 42xx |
| Group 3 (AI and Apps) | All CS 47xx courses, and CS 416x and CS 417x |
3. Required Track Courses
Candidates are required to complete the following course:
| Course ID | Title |
| COMS-W4761 | Computational Genomics |
Candidates are required to complete one (1) of the following courses*:
Course ID Title COMS W4771 Machine Learning SIEO W4150 Probability and Statistics
Students who have completed equivalent courses with grades of at least 3.0 may
apply those courses to satisfy these requirements and devote more credits to
pursue elective courses.
4. Elective Track Courses
Students are required to take two courses from the following list, at least one of which must be a 6000-level course. Other courses on this list may be used as general electives or to replace core or required track courses when the student has received a waiver.
| Course ID | Title |
| COMS W4111 | Introduction to Databases |
| COMS W4252 | Introduction to Computational |
COMS W4772 (E6772) | Advanced Machine Learning |
| COMS E6111 | Advanced Database Systems |
| COMS E6901 | Projects in Computer Science |
| COMS E6998 | Computational Human Genetics |
| COMS E6998 | Seminar on Biological Networks |
| COMS E6998 | Seminar in Evolutionary and |
| COMS E6998 | Biological Networks |
| COMS E6998 | Comp Methods/High Thrghpt SEQ |
| COMS E6998 | Research Seminar in |
| COMS E6998 | Search Engine Technology |
| COMS E6998 | Adv. Topics in Machine Learning |
| COMS E6998 | Intro/Distributed Data Mining |
| COMS E6998 | Cloud Computing |
| COMS E6998 | Algorithmic Graph Theory |
| BIOC W4512 | Molecular Biology |
| BIOL W4031 | Genetics I |
| BIOL W4032 | Genetics II |
| BIOL W4034 | Biotechnology |
| BIOL W4037 | Bioinformatics of Gene Expression |
| BIOL W4041 | Cell Biology |
| BIOL W4070 | The Biology and Physics of |
| BIOL W4300 | Drugs and Disease |
| BIOL W4073 | Cellular and Molecular Immunology |
| BIOL W4400 | Biological Networks |
| BIOL W4510 | Molecular Systems Biology I |
| BCHM G4026 | Biochemistry of Nucleic |
| BCHM G4250 | Biochemistry and Molecular |
| BCHM G6300 | Biochemistry and Molecular |
| BCHM G6301 | Biochemistry and Molecular |
| BMEN E6480 | Computational Neural Modeling |
GEND G4050 | Advanced Eukaryotic |
| STAT G6101 | Statistical Modeling and Data Analysis |
| APMA E4400 | Introduction to Biophysical Modeling |
| BINF G4014 | Computational Biology I: |
| BINF G4015 | Computational Biology II: |
5. General Electives
Candidates are required to complete at
least 6 additional graduate credits at, or above, the 4000 level; at least 3 of
these credits must be CS, the other 3 credits may be a technical or non-technical
elective approved by the track advisor. Please complete a non-tech approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss. At most 3 credits overall of the 30
graduate credits required for the MS degree may be non-technical.
6. Track Planning
Please visit the Directory of Classes to get the updated course listings.
7. Contact
Please direct all questions concerning the Computational Biology Track to Prof. Itsik Pe'er.
8. Graduation
Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar's Office and submit a track graduation form to CS Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).
