Biomedical Databases
Hey! Welcome to my notes for the Biomedical Databases course where biology meets data engineering.
Course Overview
Total Lectures: 14
Pace: About 2 lectures per week
Structure: The course is divided into modules, with the first module focusing on biological databases specifically.
Important Heads-Up
The exam may be split into two sessions based on the modules. The first module is all about biological databases, so pay extra attention for right preparing.
Supplementary Learning Resource
If you want to dive deeper into database fundamentals (and I mean really deep), check out:
CMU 15-445/645: Intro to Database Systems (Fall 2024)
About the CMU Course
This is one of the best database courses available online, taught by Andy Pavlo at Carnegie Mellon University. It's more advanced and assumes some C++ knowledge, but the explanations are incredibly clear.
Recommended approach:
- Watch about 2 CMU videos for every 1 lecture we have
- Don't worry if you don't understand everything—it's graduate-level content
- Focus on the conceptual explanations rather than the C++ implementation details
- Use it to deepen your understanding, not as a replacement for our course
The CMU course covers database internals, query optimization, storage systems, and transaction management at a much deeper level. It's perfect if you're curious about how databases actually work under the hood.
Study Strategy
Here's what works for me:
- Attend the lecture and take rough notes
- Review and organize the notes here within 24 hours (while it's fresh)
- Watch relevant CMU videos for deeper understanding (optional but recommended)
- Practice with real databases when applicable
- Connect concepts between biological applications and database theory