r/learnbioinformatics • u/Dizzy_Battle_7060 • 8d ago

CS/Software Engineering → Bioinformatics MSc: How did you make the transition?

Hi everyone!

I’m currently finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering and I’m considering applying for a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics.

I’m really interested in the field, especially the computational/data/AI side of bioinformatics, but since my undergraduate background is in software engineering rather than biology or biotechnology, I’m curious about the experience of people who have made a similar transition.

If you studied Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field for your bachelor’s and then pursued a Master’s in Bioinformatics:

  • How did you find the transition into bioinformatics? Was the lack of a biology background a major challenge?
  • Did you have to take additional biology/chemistry courses before or during your MSc?
  • What made you choose bioinformatics over staying in CS/software engineering?
  • For those who applied to MSc programs, how did you explain the transition in your motivation/personal statement?
  • Did you focus more on your computational skills, your interest in biology, specific projects/research, or a combination of these?
  • Looking back, would you recommend this path?

I’d especially love to hear from people who actually completed or are currently doing a Bioinformatics MSc after a CS/Software Engineering bachelor’s.

Thanks! I’d really appreciate any experiences or advice. :)

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u/fareed1903 8d ago

See I did my undergrad in Electrical Engineering and then switched to a MSc in Bioinformatics that required to take some biology lessons and skilling up. What happens is that electrical and computer sciences are able to handle the computational side of biology. I had biotechnology with maths in my senior secondary and was always intrigued by healthcare. Biology concepts came naturally to me but I went for engineering so the transition required one to acquire not only upskilling in biological concepts and fundamentals but also programming languages, databases, the sub-domain that had to be pursued after this generalized bioinformatics course, in my case being Systems Biology as the intersection of signals and control systems that is taught in Electrical Engineering and the biological undepinnings that this bioinformatics course taught me created a ground for Systems Thinking, looking at how different sub-level biological systems are interconnected and act as a whole mimicking electrical circuits and signals with feedback - that is what Systems Biology is all about and there are good institutions like NCBI, IBAB, or foreign universities in the US, UK and Europe from where a person could pursue PhD. I would say that becoming a Project or Research Associate linked with a lab headed by a PI is also great to later transition into a PhD internally and there is a lot of scope of you shift from a tech degree to a bioinformatics MSc. I wish you all the best. If you need more help, DM me. I'll be there for you.

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u/Dizzy_Battle_7060 8d ago

Thank you so much! It’s really encouraging to hear from someone who actually made the transition from engineering to bioinformatics.

so I’m curious about how you handled the biology side when you started your MSc. Did you feel that the biology courses you took during the MSc were enough to build the foundation you needed, or did you have to do a lot of studying on your own as well?

Also how did you decide which area of bioinformatics you wanted to specialize in? I’m currently interested in areas like computational genomics and potentially cancer research, but I’m still trying to understand what direction would fit my background best

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u/fareed1903 8d ago

I had to face a lot of drag, to be very honest, during the initial phase, Coursera and EdX were my friends, haha, took up courses on Biology and then I went on to do the computational part. Building pipelines and handling software.

I decided to specialize in Systems Biology as one of the guest faculties at my university told me that since I am from a tech background and biological systems mimic circuits and signals so Systems Biology would be a good fit for me for further leveling up.

If you feel like computational genomics and cancer research is your potential area of interest, you can also look into epigenetics, which I find truly intriguing, imagine environment shaping your genetic expression. Stressors creating histone modifications leading to certain genes turning ON and expressing themselves leading to mutations. I find it quite overwhelming. It has a great application in the field of cancer biology.

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u/Dizzy_Battle_7060 8d ago

Haha honestly this makes me feel much better because biology is definitely the part I’m most worried about. Since my background is already in Software Engineering, I feel like the computational side would be much more familiar to me. I also still have plenty of time before the MSc, so I’m thinking I should start taking some biology courses on Coursera to build a stronger foundation. And thank you for mentioning epigenetics! I’ve actually been looking into cancer genomics and related areas, so I’ll definitely read more about it. It’s really interesting how many different directions you can take within bioinformatics :)

Can I ask you one more thing since you went through almost the exact transition I’m considering? When you applied for your MSc, how did you explain your switch from engineering to bioinformatics in your motivation letter/personal statement?

Did you already know that you wanted to work in bioinformatics, or did you mainly explain your engineering background, your interest in healthcare/biology, and why you wanted to combine the two?

I’m asking because I’m currently trying to write my own motivation letter, and I’m struggling a bit with how to make the transition sound natural rather than just “I studied software engineering but now I want to study biology” haha 👀

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u/fareed1903 8d ago

I stated that I am from an Electrical background and made a switch to bioinformatics as the signal theory and control systems mimic biological systems being studied so this transition is to make a career in a computational biology field and I mean I knew this connection before I met that professor. All I didn't know was that Systems Biology is in itself a field that deals with the intersection of Biological Systems with Engineering signals, feedbacks, loops and circuits which he later revealed to me in one of his lectures. He gave me a direction which I then pursued.

Are you from India trying somewhere in India? Or India and trying for a foreign university? Or you are already somewhere in a foreign land trying to get into a MSc somewhere?

The reason why I am asking this is cause I only gave an entrance and got through the program. But being an Indian I applied at an Indian University only.

Where are you applying that you need a motivation letter?

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u/Dizzy_Battle_7060 7d ago

no i'm not from India, and I'm will apply for a foreign university, that's why i ask you about the process

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u/fareed1903 7d ago

Ok. All the best. If you need any help with your motivation letter DM me and I'll sort it out.