How Do Bioinformatics Tools Aid Epidemiological Research?
Bioinformatics tools enable epidemiologists to:
Sequence Alignment: Compare genetic sequences to identify mutations and understand pathogen evolution. Phylogenetic Analysis: Construct evolutionary trees that help trace the origins and spread of infectious diseases. Data Mining: Extract useful patterns from large datasets, such as identifying correlations between environmental factors and disease outbreaks. Geospatial Analysis: Map disease incidence and spread geographically to identify hotspots and target interventions effectively.
