Statistics in the New Biology: DNA Microarray Experiments

James Bernhard
Department of Physics, University of Puget Sound

Abstract: Developed in the early 1990s, DNA microarrays are a key component of the ongoing revolution in biology, allowing us to investigate thousands of genes in a single experiment. In order to interpret data from microarray experiments, however, an unprecedented number of tools from statistics, computer science, and mathematics are needed, in addition to those from biology.

In this talk, we will begin by describing what microarrays are. We will then explore some of the key statistical issues in microarray experiments, touching very briefly on some topics from mathematics and computer science as well. No particular background in biology is necessary for this talk.