Bioinformatics
tools have become vital for the further progress in disciplines such as
structural biology and structural and functional genetics. Using these dynamic,
interactive Intranet and Internet tools, researchers are able to organize the
structural and functional data, to extract the relevant information, and to
present results to the scientific community.
Molecular Modeling tools
provide researchers the ability to build, optimize and analyze molecular
structures ranging from simple organic compounds to large proteins. Knowledge of
molecular structure is essential for the analysis of structure-function
relationships and for rational drug design. This knowledge will also advance our
understanding of diseases at a molecular level.
The staff of the facility consults users in
utilizing bioinformatics and molecular modeling tools and methods, participates
in collaborative research, and is actively involved in teaching molecular
modeling and bioinformatics courses.
The computational assets of the
Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling Core Facility are available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week through the global connectivity of personal computers at UNMC
with the state-of-the-art workstations and software housed in the facility.
Dr. Simon Sherman directs the facility. Dr. Leo Kinarsky is a
Co-director for Molecular Modeling. Oleg Shats is a Facility Manager.
The term "Bioinformatics" refers to both the development and the use of mathematical and computational methods to assist in understanding and utilizing structural as well as functional information on biologically important molecules.
