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Life sciences · Journal article
Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education · October 21, 2026
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ABSTRACT Bioinformatics blends the fields of biology, statistics, computer science, and information technology for the processing and analysis of genomic data. Despite the growing demand for trained bioinformaticians and a positive job market outlook, most undergraduate institutions struggle to integrate bioinformatics into their life science curricula. Educators face numerous barriers to incorporating bioinformatics into their classes, including technical issues and expertise. To address this need, we are developing web-accessible, course-based materials for general microbiology, infectious disease, genomics, and other similar undergraduate and graduate classes that use bioinformatic workflows within the Bacterial and Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center (BV-BRC), one of three National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-funded Bioinformatics Resource Centers. Here, we present one such activity: a three-part exercise focused on antimicrobial resistance and metagenomics that uses six publicly available metagenomic samples collected from wild and domestic animal populations to explore the distinctions between their gut microbiomes and their respective antibiotic resistance genes. To analyze community composition and identify antibiotic resistance genes, students use two end-to-end services offered by the BV-BRC: Taxonomic Classification and Metagenomic Read Mapping. This assignment was developed to introduce students to core competencies in the field of bioinformatics and to highlight the BV-BRC as an educational resource for integrating bioinformatics without requiring students and instructors to possess the technical proficiencies and computing resources traditionally needed. We successfully implemented this exercise in an upper-level undergraduate microbiology course, demonstrating the feasibility of using the BV-BRC for bioinformatics education in the classroom.