Spring 2015 Seminar Series Dr. Lukasz Kurgan Electrical & Computer Engineering University of Alberta Title: Ultra high-throughput protein bioinformatics Abstract: “Bioinformatics concerns the collection, classification, storage, and analysis of biochemical and biological information using computers especially as applied to molecular genetics and genomics” [Merriam-Webster dictionary]. Bioinformatics of proteins, the ultimate products of a genome, concerns computational prediction, characterization and analysis of their sequences and structures. Current highthroughput efforts in protein bioinformatics rely of predictive models that are generated from relatively small experimentally annotated data to analyze proteins on a much larger scale of an organism or a protein family. Given the exponential growth of the protein data that are now available for over half a million organisms, we specialize in the design, development, deployment and use of advanced models that have three orders of magnitude higher throughput. In this talk, we will discuss our recent efforts related to target selection for structural genomics, prediction of protein-drug interactions and its application in polypharmacology, and characterization of intrinsic disorder. Throughout the talk we will explain how protein structures are obtained, why these structures are needed, and how often and why protein are unstructured. Bio: Dr. Kurgan received Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2003. He is a Professor in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alberta. Dr. Kurgan leads a successful research program in big data-driven (ultra) high-throughput bioinformatics focused on protein and RNA structure and function characterization and protein-ligand/drug interactions. He authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and serves on editorial boards of seven journals and CIHR review panel in genomics. You can find more details at http://biomine.ece.ualberta.ca/. When: 12:00pm-1:00pm, Monday, March 23, 2015 Where: Room E2221, School of Engineering-East Hall, Monroe Campus