This is an interdisciplinary major that provides education in using computational and quantitative methods to address scientific questions at the interface of the life, mathematical, and computational sciences. There is great demand for computational and mathematical biologists in academia, industry, and government, where they are investigating problems as diverse as identifying the genetic basis of disease, to predicting how ecological systems will respond to climate change.

In addition to completing core units that provide essential education in computational biology, students have the opportunity to specialise in one of computational biology’s core disciplines – the life sciences, mathematics and statistics, or computer science.

The major prepares students for graduate studies in either computational biology or traditional disciplines, as well as for entry into the job market.

After completing this major, you could pursue a career in health and research roles within government or academia. Or you could find a career in industry in areas such as software systems, pharmaceuticals, data science and biotechnology. Other areas in which computational biologists work include agritech and consumer genomics.

Employers in this field include:

• Medical research institutes such as WEHI, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute
• Government departments of defence, health, innovation, agriculture, environment and economic development
• Hospitals such as the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
• Biotech and pharmaceutical companies such as CSL and GSK
• Academic and public research institutions such as universities.