B.S./M.S. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

The B.S./M.S. program is strongly project- and research-oriented, giving students opportunities to use computational methods on genuine biological questions rather than limiting learning to theoretical coursework. WPI connects BCB students with faculty research, interdisciplinary projects, internships, and external research environments, including collaborations with the University of Massachusetts Medical School; students can work with biological datasets, computational models, visualization, machine learning, and other quantitative approaches.

Students can develop practical experience through:

• Python and computational tools: BCB 100X uses freely available web-based tools and guided Python programming to investigate biological problems.
• Bioinformatics and data analysis: Students can work on biological data involving genome-wide association studies, comparative genomics, data mining, machine learning, and sequence analysis.
• Biovisualization: BCB coursework and research provide opportunities to visualize complex biological information and biological networks.
• Biomedical database mining: Students can study methods for extracting useful information from biomedical databases and applying computational techniques to biological questions.
• Biological simulation: Computational approaches are used to model biological systems and investigate complex biological behavior.
• Major Qualifying Project: WPI requires graduating students to complete a Major Qualifying Project, and BCB students have undertaken projects such as high-throughput screening of C. elegans, analysis of unusual DNA primase gene structures, HIV infection correlation studies, and PubMed research-network analysis.
• Faculty research: Undergraduate students can work alongside faculty researchers in areas including computational genomics, systems biology, machine learning, data mining, fungal disease, biological modeling, and biomedical data analytics.
• Internships: WPI highlights internships as an important BCB opportunity, including collaboration with researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
• Research facilities: Students can access resources associated with the Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park, as well as computational research facilities such as the Visualization Laboratory, Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Laboratory, Database Systems Laboratory, and high-performance computer clusters.
• Cross-disciplinary research: The program brings together Biology, Computer Science, and Mathematics, allowing students to approach biological questions using multiple computational and quantitative perspectives.
• Undergraduate research showcase: WPI's Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase gives student teams an opportunity to present their research, design, and creative thesis work to faculty, external sponsors, and the wider community.

Graduates of WPI's Bioinformatics and Computational Biology program are prepared for careers that sit at the intersection of life science, computing, mathematics, data, and biotechnology. WPI reports graduates working in organizations such as Moderna, Biogen, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Takeda, Broad Institute, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Illumina, 10x Genomics, Ginkgo Bioworks, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Tempus, and Foundation Medicine.

Typical career roles include: Bioinformatics Engineer, Bioinformatics Analyst, Computational Biology Researcher, Bioinformatics Scientist

Students can further strengthen their progression through:

• Project-based career preparation: WPI's curriculum gives students practical experience through real-world projects, research, and the Major Qualifying Project, helping them demonstrate applied skills to employers.
• Employment and salary: WPI reports an average starting salary of $80,294 for bachelor's degree graduates in the Class of 2024; this is a university-level figure rather than a BCB-specific salary.
• Employer connections: WPI identifies employers of BCB graduates including Moderna, Biogen, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Takeda, Broad Institute, Illumina, 10x Genomics, Ginkgo Bioworks, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Tempus, and Foundation Medicine.
• Research partnerships: WPI has a strong relationship with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, with opportunities for undergraduate and graduate projects and internships.
• Research-intensive environment: Students can work with faculty and researchers investigating areas such as clinical and health informatics, computational epidemiology, machine learning of biological data, genome-wide association studies, mathematical biology, structural bioinformatics, and systems/network biology.
• Career roles: WPI's official career information lists graduate roles including Engineer, Analyst, Researcher, Project Manager, Consultant, Designer, Specialist, Coordinator, Developer, and Scientist.
• Graduate outcomes: WPI lists graduate destinations including WPI, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Imperial College London, and Dartmouth College.

Further Academic Progression: The B.S./M.S. itself provides a direct pathway into advanced study by allowing students to complete both undergraduate and graduate requirements within the combined program. After the master's level, students can pursue WPI's Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, or progress to doctoral study and research in related areas such as computational biology, bioinformatics, biostatistics, mathematical biology, computer science, genomics, or biomedical science.