Bioinformatics Pipeline Builder
Bioinformatics Pipeline Builder: Analyze Genomes for a Precision Medicine Startup. A 4–8 weeks Intravarsity career experience (30–50 hours) for school and und
You'll work remotely with a precision medicine startup from our San Francisco campus biotech ecosystem. Using real (anonymized) genomic datasets, you'll learn to process DNA sequencing data, identify clinically relevant mutations, and build analysis pipelines — skills in massive demand across biotech.
Build computational pipelines to analyze genomic data for a biotech startup. Align DNA sequences, identify mutations, and create variant databases — the same work done by bioinformatics teams worldwide.
Who it is for
High school, secondary school students & undergraduates. Interest in biology or computer science. No prior bioinformatics experience needed.
Weekly plan
Week 1: Genomics & Python Setup
- Meet the biotech startup team and understand their research pipeline
- Learn DNA sequencing technologies (Illumina, Nanopore) and file formats
- Set up BioPython and process FASTA/FASTQ files
- Align sequences and visualize genome coverage
Week 2: Variant Calling & Analysis
- Run a variant calling pipeline on real sequencing data
- Identify SNPs, insertions, and deletions from aligned reads
- Annotate variants with clinical significance databases
- Build filtering criteria to identify potentially pathogenic mutations
Week 3: Computational Pipeline
- Automate the full analysis pipeline in Python
- Build visualizations of mutation landscapes and gene expression
- Compare your pipeline's results with the startup's production tools
- Workshop with the startup's lead bioinformatician on scalability
Week 4: Report & Presentation
- Write a bioinformatics analysis report with clinical context
- Present findings to the startup's scientific advisory board
- Discuss precision medicine applications and ethical implications
- Receive Proof-of-Work credential and biotech recommendation
What you produce
- Automated bioinformatics pipeline
- Genomic analysis report
- Variant database
- Biotech startup recommendation
- Intravarsity Proof-of-Work credential
Skills
BioPython, Genomic Data Analysis, Variant Calling, Pipeline Development, Data Visualization, Scientific Writing, Computational Biology, Linux Command Line
Commitment
~5–8 hours/week for 4–8 weeks (30–50 hours total). 100% Virtual — work remotely with a Silicon Valley biotech startup.