The demands of bioinformatics in journals such as Nature (Naturejobs section) have multipliedby orders of magnitud and are clearly not covered. In an article entitled "Visiones de 2020" (Norvig, 2010, Nature 463:26), 6 of the 18 most important topics discussed are directly or indirectly concerned with bioinformatics. The same can be said of the demands that circulate through the specialised lists of bioinformatics. Other relevant datum to understand the demand of bioinformatics is the multiplication of scientific journals dedicated to the bioinformatics research in the last 5 years, in which has increased from 4 main ones (Bioinformatics, Briefings in Bioinformatics, PLoS Computational Biology and BMC Bioinformatics) to more than 15 (see ISI Web of Knowledge).
And this demand takes place in a stage in which is still starting to implement the "omics" techniques in some biomedicine and hospitals research centres. In a near future will be implemented more widely as well as increase their ability to generate data. This will cause the transformation of the professional profile in the disciplines of medicine and life sciences in general, as well as in computing, making predictable an increasing demand of profiles of bioinformatic nature.
Valencia is an important centre of research and development in biotechnology and biomedicine, where are located many entities and companies who base much of their activity in the computational treatment of bioinformatics data.
Some of these companies and entities are located in the own Science Park of the University of Valencia (PCUV, http://pcuv.es), so the purpose of this Master's Degree in Bioinformatics in the UV can be very successful among them:
- BiOncoTech Therapeutics
- Biopolis
- Biotechvana
- Fundacion IVI
- Genagen
- iGenomix
- Imegen
- LifeSequencing
- PROiSER
- Valentia Biopharma
Most of these companies are integrated in Bioval, association of companies and entities of Biotechnology of the Valencian Community, in which are there also public institutions that are actively using bioinformatics such as:
- Príncipe Felipe Research Centre of Valencia, CIPF
- Public Health Research Centre of Valencia, CSISP.
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants, IBMCP (Spanish Research Council (CSIC-UPV))
- Institut of Biomedicine of Valencia, IBV (Spanish Research Council (CSIC))
- Institute of Health Care Research of La Fe Hospital of Valencia, IIS La Fe
- Research Foundation of the Clinico Hospital of Valencia, INCLIVA.
- Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research, IVIA
- University of Valencia, UV
or companies in which bioinformatics is an important part of its activity as some of the above mentioned of the PCUV, or others such as:
- Biomolecular Technologies S.L.
- Celartia Europe
- Celeromics
- Genometra
- Trinity Tek
All this points to a great reception of the Master’s Degree and to excellent prospects of labour insertion of its graduates due to the strategic interest of the Universitat de València in introducing this Master’s Degree to train bioinformatics professionals for the known as Bioregion of Valencia and to closer relations with this emerging sector.
