Gharib A. Gad El-Karim, Ph.D., Plant Breeding
Eman A. El-Azab, M.Sc., Computer Networking
Ahmed M. Shokry, B.Sc., Genetics
Sameh E. Ibrahim, B.Sc., Genetics

Realizing that effective handling of information is necessary for research and innovation, AGERI has employed the BioComputing & Networks Unit. The recent explosion in data as a result of research in molecular biology and the need to appropriately store and analyze this data has given rise to the term BioInformatics. BioInformatics may be defined as the acquisition, analysis, utilization, storage and retrieval of massive amounts of biological sequences, structural data and the associated annotations. It is a field that marries information management techniques with an understanding and appreciation of the significance of biological data.

Today's competitive biological research and biotechnology industries are highly dependent on up-to-date information. Modern research scientists and biotechnologists are becoming intensive users of the electronic information resources - computers, software, networks and databases. The BioComputing and Networks Unit is AGERI's facet for the access to products and services based on these technologies.

The basic goals of the unit is to provide researchers with fast and efficient access to data and information, located within the country and abroad, and to provide computational assistance to molecular biologists in analyzing protein and nucleic acid sequences. Figure (12) highlights the available functions/facilities of the BioComputing & Networks Unit at AGERI.