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Manchester Informatics

Welcome to Manchester Informatics

An exciting strategic initiative at the University of Manchester:

Visualisation of part of the evolutionary history of the bZIP protein interaction network. From top to bottom, the different layers show the inferred networks in the ancestral chordate, vertebrate and teleost and in the present-day zebrafish. Proteins are represented as coloured nodes, using different colours to show the various bZIP sub-families. Citation: John W Pinney, Grigoris D Amoutzias, Magnus Rattray, David L Robertson, (2007) Reconstruction of ancestral protein interaction networks for the bZIP transcription factors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 104(51): 20449-53. Full text doi:10.1073/pnas.0706339104
  • Creating a joined-up multidisciplinary informatics community across the whole University

  • Harnessing the creative and intellectual power of world-class academics engaged in informatics research and teaching in a wide range of disciplines – biology, business, computing, social science, medicine, mathematics, psychology and many others

  • Crossing boundaries between disciplines and between Schools: exploiting synergies between areas of existing strength and helping to identify opportunities for new academic development

  • Building the critical mass necessary to tackle many exciting opportunities and challenges in research and teaching

  • Developing strategic alliances with external stakeholders

(Image courtesy of Pinney JW, Amoutzias GD, Rattray M, Robertson DL. Reconstruction of ancestral protein interaction networks for the bZIP transcription factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Dec 18;104(51):20449-53.)


Informatics is a multi-disciplinary approach to information and IS, embracing:

  • Study of both natural and engineered systems for the acquisition, storage, integration, processing, visualization and communication of information

  • Impact on individuals, organisations and society

  • Development of computational thinking, methods and systems

  • Simulation and modelling

Manchester Informatics Sharepoint site

Chinese government cracking down on "Gold Farming"

The Chinese government is cracking down on so-called "Gold Farming," a phenomenon researched by the University's Professor Richard Heeks.

White Paper on Computational Science

The final White Paper can be found here: .

Solution to the Carbon Problem could be underground

Carbon dioxide captured from the chimneys of power stations could be safely buried underground for thousands of years without the risk of the greenhouse gas seeping into the atmosphere, a study has found.

Drawing on art of creating a picture perfect website

A team from the School of Computer Science in The University of Manchester are carrying out a series to experiments to see if beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

1952 Love poetry computer programme recreated on internet

In 1952, British computer scientist Christopher Strachey created a programme which created random love poetry.

NCeSS Seminar: Timescapes Programme and issues in qualitative data archive and re-use

Date: 7th May 2009 1 - 2pm Professor Bren Neale and Dr Libby Bishop from the University of Leeds's School of Sociology and Social policy will be speaking in room G.

NCeSS Seminar: Data Control and Social Networking

Date: 12th May 2009 1 - 2pm Professor of Internet Law at the University of Sheffield, Lilian Edwards, will be speaking on data control and social networking.

NCeSS Seminar: Multilevel models - Why use them?

Date: 21st May 2009 1 - 2pm Professor Jon Rasbash from the University of Bristol's Centre for Multi-level Modelling will be giving an overview and covering some of the main advantages of the technique.

The Big Chip Awards

Date: 18th June 2009, entry closing date: 16th March 2009 The Big Chip Awards celebrate some of the best work from the North West's thriving digital sector.

The Influence and Impact of Web 2.0 on e-Research Infrastructure, Applications and Users Workshop

Date: 23rd - 27th March 2009 The National e-Science Centre has announced a five-day workshop to engage the e-Science, and e-Research community, as well as those in the arts and humanities, and other researchers who have not been funded under the e-Science Programme.