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Lectures

To promote incremental learning and reduce cognitive overload, this course features two distinct types of lectures each week: Foundations and Methods.

This structured weekly approach aims to:

  • Reduce cognitive overload by separating theoretical concepts from practical applications.
  • Strengthen the connection between foundational knowledge and hands-on computational practice.
  • Provide students with both a solid conceptual understanding and the technical skills necessary for success in computational biology.

Students are expected to engage with material from both lecture types and complete assignments that integrate foundational theory with computational applications.

Foundations (Tuesdays)

Tuesday lectures lay the groundwork for each topic by introducing key concepts, contextualizing the material within the broader field of computational biology, and exploring its practical applications. These sessions emphasize:

  • Conceptual understanding: Building a clear understanding of the topic's fundamental principles.
  • Real-world relevance: Demonstrating how the topic applies to research, industry, or problem-solving in biology.
  • Practical insights: Discussing examples, challenges, and tools related to the subject matter.

Students are encouraged to engage in discussions and reflect on how these foundations will inform the computational methods covered later in the week.

Methodology (Thursdays)

Thursday lectures focus on the computational side of each topic, providing hands-on experience with the tools, algorithms, and coding techniques used in the field. These sessions emphasize:

  • Algorithmic and methodological details: Explaining the underlying computational techniques and workflows.
  • Python-based implementation: Writing and analyzing code to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems.
  • Problem-solving skills: Guiding students through practical exercises to reinforce learning and develop proficiency in computational tools.

By separating foundational knowledge from technical implementation, this structure allows students to engage deeply with each aspect of the material while ensuring that concepts and skills build upon one another.