This is a test version of Biostars. For the public version, visit https://www.biostars.org.
Forum: Recommendation and Advice

Hello everyone,

My name is Sabina. I recently completed an MSc in Plant Protection, where my research focused on greenhouse soil microbiomes associated with tomato production. My academic background is in Crop Science and Plant Protection, and I am interested in transitioning into bioinformatics, particularly in plant-microbe interactions, plant disease resistance, microbiome research, and computational biology.

I have started learning Python and have covered basic programming concepts such as strings, lists, dictionaries, file handling, CSV files, and object-oriented programming. My goal is to build the skills needed for an entry role or a PhD in bioinformatics or computational biology.

As a beginner, I would appreciate advice on:

  • The most important skills and tools to learn first
  • Recommended learning resources (courses, books, tutorials)
  • Beginner-friendly bioinformatics projects for building a portfolio
  • Common mistakes to avoid when starting out
  • How much Linux, Python, R, and statistics should I learn early
  • What skills are most valued in bioinformatics PhD applicants

I would also be grateful for any guidance on creating a realistic learning roadmap from basic Python to more advanced topics such as genomics, transcriptomics, and microbiome analysis.

Thank you for your time and advice.

beginner learning
• 341 views • link
updated by immunology_bishop • immunology_bishop • written by Sabina • Sabina

Hello Sabina, You should start by learning the basics of R and Python using YouTube. Try to track your progress using GitHub repositories. It shall help you to display your skills. Try doing actual projects too, not just certifications.

Don't try to follow the code blindly. It may be hard in the beginning, but learn to understand the code and its algorithm. Learn to understand the backend of each tool. Code by hand. Do not copy paste the code.

Some useful YouTube channels:

  1. https://www.youtube.com/@Bioinformagician
  2. https://www.youtube.com/@LiquidBrain
  3. https://www.youtube.com/@SimonCockell
  4. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmsR2Fv1p6b4VvwYz48-FJud9lwxQT-O9

All the best!

• 0 views • link
written by Hargunjeet • Hargunjeet

2 answers

Hello Sabina, You should start by learning the basics of R and Python using YouTube. Try to track your progress using GitHub repositories. It shall help you to display your skills. Try doing actual projects too, not just certifications.

Don't try to follow the code blindly. It may be hard in the beginning, but learn to understand the code and its algorithm. Learn to understand the backend of each tool. Code by hand. Do not copy paste the code.

Some useful YouTube channels:

  1. https://www.youtube.com/@Bioinformagician
  2. https://www.youtube.com/@LiquidBrain
  3. https://www.youtube.com/@SimonCockell
  4. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmsR2Fv1p6b4VvwYz48-FJud9lwxQT-O9

All the best!

• 0 views • link
written by Hargunjeet • Hargunjeet

Lots of good resources here and in the linked thread - only other advice I'd give (just based on my own journey from wet lab -> bioinformatics) is to pick a project that is useful to you, and try to do it end-to-end, learning whatever you need to learn as you go. You said you did a masters - pick some data that you collected & graphed during that, for example, and try to go from raw data to the same graph using either Python or R alone. Don't worry too much about trying to get all of the basics down first before moving on to "real" work - dig into a project that you have some subject matter expertise in and learn as you go, and if you learn a bunch of matplotlib but don't cover much object-oriented programming during that, for example, that's okay. Then when you're done, pick another project, maybe a bit different, and see what new skills you can pick up completing that project.

Good luck!

• 0 views • link
written by immunology_bishop • immunology_bishop

Log in to answer this question.

More posts like this