1) Use of computers in solving information problems in the life sciences, mainly, it involves the creation of extensive electronic databases on genomes, protein sequences, etc.

2) Bioinformatics derives knowledge from computer analysis of biological data. These can consist of the information stored in the genetic code, but also experimental results from various sources, patient statistics, and scientific literature. Research in bioinformatics includes method development for storage, retrieval, and analysis of the data. Bioinformatics is a rapidly developing branch of biology and is highly interdisciplinary, using techniques and concepts from informatics, statistics, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and linguistics. It has many practical applications in different areas of biology and medicine. (M. Nilges and Jens P. Linge, Unite de Bio-informatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, Paris)

3) The science of managing and analysing biological data using advanced computing techniques. Especially important in analysing genomic research data.

4) Bioinformatics is a subdiscipline of biology and computer science concerned with the acquisition, storage, analysis, and dissemination of biological data, most often DNA and amino acid sequences. Bioinformatics uses computer programmes for a variety of applications, including determining gene and protein functions, establishing evolutionary relationships, and predicting the three-dimensional shapes of proteins.