4273π: Bioinformatics education on low cost ARM hardware

BMC Bioinformatics

Daniel Barker¹  David EK Ferrier⁵  Peter WH Holland²  John BO Mitchell⁴  Heleen Plaisier¹  Michael G Ritchie¹  Steven D Smart³ 

[1] Sir Harold Mitchell Building, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, UK

[2] Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK

[3] School of Biology, Bute Building, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK

[4] Biomedical Sciences Research Complex and EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Purdie Building, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK

[5] Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK

关键词: Linux;    Raspberry Pi;    Teaching material;    Bioinformatics education;   

Others  :  1087792
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2105-14-243

 received in 2013-04-24, accepted in 2013-07-09,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Teaching bioinformatics at universities is complicated by typical computer classroom settings. As well as running software locally and online, students should gain experience of systems administration. For a future career in biology or bioinformatics, the installation of software is a useful skill. We propose that this may be taught by running the course on GNU/Linux running on inexpensive Raspberry Pi computer hardware, for which students may be granted full administrator access.

Results

We release 4273π, an operating system image for Raspberry Pi based on Raspbian Linux. This includes minor customisations for classroom use and includes our Open Access bioinformatics course, 4273π Bioinformatics for Biologists. This is based on the final-year undergraduate module BL4273, run on Raspberry Pi computers at the University of St Andrews, Semester 1, academic year 2012–2013.

Conclusions

4273π is a means to teach bioinformatics, including systems administration tasks, to undergraduates at low cost.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Barker et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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