Bioinformatics in Rare Disease Research: Challenges and Opportunities

Keywords

Bioinformatics
Rare Diseases
Genetic Causes
Genomic Data
Precision Medicine
Disease Mechanisms
Variant Interpretation
Model Organisms
Biomarkers
Data Integration

Abstract

Rare diseases present a unique challenge in biomedical research due to their low prevalence, heterogeneous clinical presentations, and limited understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics tools and approaches are increasingly being utilized to identify genetic causes, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets for rare diseases. This article reviews the challenges and opportunities in applying bioinformatics to rare disease research, focusing on genome sequencing, data integration, variant interpretation, and the use of model organisms. We discuss the role of bioinformatics in advancing rare disease research and the potential for precision medicine to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes for patients with rare diseases.

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