Knowledge Discovery in Bioinformatics: Data Mining Significant Patterns in Epigenetics and Phylogenetics Data

Advances in gene and protein sequencing technology in recent years has resulted in such an increase in the abundance of biological sequence data that it is no longer humanly possible to analyse the enormous quantity of information produced. Computational methods are now necessary for biological sequence analysis and from this has emerged the relatively new field of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is the application of information technology to the field of molecular biology and is now an essential component in biology. This book provides a foundation for current bioinformatics practices and methods, and introduces novel knowledge discovery methods using logic programming and significantly frequent data patterns. These methods are applied to gene location, an area in the field of epigenetics, and protein evolution, which is one of the main areas in the study of phylogenetics. The knowledge gained through bioinformatics methods such as these should, in future, provide invaluable information for treatments for diseases and present new insights into evolution, life and the origin of life.

Michael C. Riley, M. Eng., M. Sc., Ph. D. is a research scientist in bioinformatics at Aberystwyth University. Presently researching autonomous computational methods for knowledge discovery in gene and protein evolution.