Lawrence Hunter
Encyclopedia
Professor Lawrence Hunter is Director of the Center for Computational Biology and of the Computational Bioscience Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is an internationally known scholar, focused on computational biology, knowledge-driven extraction of information from the primary biomedical literature, the semantic integration
of knowledge resources in molecular biology, and the use of knowledge in the analysis of high-throughput data, as well as for his foundational work in computational biology, which led to the genesis of the major professional organization in the field and two international conferences.
. Faced with a choice between careers in the main applications of artificial intelligence---game programming and defense work—Hunter chose to create a new discipline, bioinformatics
. From 1989 to 2000, Hunter worked as a computer scientist and section chief for National Institutes of Health sections devoted to statistical and bioinformatic research. He was an adjunct faculty member at George Mason University from 1991 through 2000 and an associate professor in the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine from 2000 to 2008. He was promoted to professor in 2008.
and bioinformatics
, the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB).
and the Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing
and the Rocky Mountain Bioinformatics Conference. Hunter cofounded and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Molecular Mining Corporation from 1997 to 2003.
Hunter is a Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics
and the winner of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence’s 2003 Engelmore Prize for Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence.
. Throughout his career Hunter has researched and directed research groups investigating the development and application of advanced computational techniques for biomedicine to high-throughput assays, particularly the application of statistical and knowledge-based techniques to the analysis of high-throughput data and of biomedical texts. He has proposed neurobiologically and evolutionarily informed computational models of cognition, and ethical issues related to computational bioscience.
Semantic integration
Semantic integration is the process of interrelating information from diverse sources, for example calendars and to do lists; email archives; physical, psychological, and social presence information; documents of all sorts; contacts ; search results; and advertising and marketing relevance derived...
of knowledge resources in molecular biology, and the use of knowledge in the analysis of high-throughput data, as well as for his foundational work in computational biology, which led to the genesis of the major professional organization in the field and two international conferences.
Career
Hunter completed his Ph.D. at Yale University in 1989, Knowledge Acquisition Planning: Gaining Expertise Through Experience, on diagnosis of lung cancer from x-ray data, under the guidance of Roger SchankRoger Schank
Roger Schank is an American artificial intelligence theorist, cognitive psychologist, learning scientist, educational reformer, and entrepreneur.-Academic career:...
. Faced with a choice between careers in the main applications of artificial intelligence---game programming and defense work—Hunter chose to create a new discipline, bioinformatics
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
. From 1989 to 2000, Hunter worked as a computer scientist and section chief for National Institutes of Health sections devoted to statistical and bioinformatic research. He was an adjunct faculty member at George Mason University from 1991 through 2000 and an associate professor in the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine from 2000 to 2008. He was promoted to professor in 2008.
ISCB
In 1997, Hunter founded what has become the largest professional organization in computational biologyComputational biology
Computational biology involves the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavioral, and social systems...
and bioinformatics
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
, the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB).
Conferences
Hunter was also a founder of three successful international conferences in bioinformatics, the International Conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular BiologyIntelligent Systems for Molecular Biology
Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology is a scientific meeting on the subjects of bioinformatics and computational biology organized by the International Society for Computational Biology . Its principal focus is on the development and application of advanced computational methods for...
and the Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing
Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing
The Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing is an international, multidisciplinary scientific meeting held annually since 1996. The purpose of this conference is for the presentation and discussion of current research in the theory and application of computational methods in problems of biological...
and the Rocky Mountain Bioinformatics Conference. Hunter cofounded and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Molecular Mining Corporation from 1997 to 2003.
Hunter is a Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics
American College of Medical Informatics
The American College of Medical Informatics, is a college of elected fellows from the United States and abroad who have made significant and sustained contributions to the field of medical informatics...
and the winner of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence’s 2003 Engelmore Prize for Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence.
Influence
Hunter is credited with being one of the founding fathers of bioinformaticsBioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
. Throughout his career Hunter has researched and directed research groups investigating the development and application of advanced computational techniques for biomedicine to high-throughput assays, particularly the application of statistical and knowledge-based techniques to the analysis of high-throughput data and of biomedical texts. He has proposed neurobiologically and evolutionarily informed computational models of cognition, and ethical issues related to computational bioscience.
Publications
- The Processes of Life: An Introduction to Molecular Biology
- Planning to learn The Proceedings of The Twelfth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Boston, MA., July 1990, pp. 26–34, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.