If you’re thinking about a career in bioinformatics, one of the best things you can do right now is start building your bioinformatics portfolio. Whether you’re aiming for research roles or exploring bioinformatics jobs in India, a strong portfolio shows employers that you can do the work, not just talk about it.

Step 1: Learn to Code

Before anything else, build a solid foundation.
You can’t skip this part, coding is the backbone of every bioinformatics career opportunity.

Start with Python and R, since they’re widely used for data analysis and biological computations. Get comfortable with UNIX/Linux, and explore tools like Git and GitHub early on; they'll come in handy later.

If you’re looking for structured guidance, programs like Bversity’s Postgraduate Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics are a great starting point. It combines coding, genomics, and real-world projects to help you transition smoothly into the field.

Step 2: Pick a Field

Bioinformatics is huge, you can’t master it all and you don’t have to.

Ask yourself:

• Do you want to work with genomics and sequencing data?

• Are you more interested in protein modeling and structural biology?

• Or maybe AI and data science applications in healthcare fascinate you?

Each of these requires different tools and bioinformatics skills, so choose a field that excites you and start digging deeper into it.

Step 3: Use Publicly Available Data

Once you’ve picked your focus area, there are tons of open-access resources where you can find real biological datasets to work on.

Few examples to get you started:

• NCBI SRA Database - raw sequencing data

• 1000 Genomes Project - genetic variation data from global populations

• GEO Database - gene expression datasets

You could, for instance, take FASTQ files from the 1000 Genomes Project and use tools like BWA (Burrows-Wheeler Aligner) and bcftools to create a pipeline that converts raw NGS data into VCF files.
Later, automate this workflow using Nextflow, that’s the kind of project that looks great on your portfolio!

With this you’re learning exactly what real research teams do every day.

Step 4: Build Your GitHub Profile

Now that you’ve worked on some projects, it’s time to show them off.

Create a GitHub account and upload your scripts, pipelines, and documentation. Employers often check GitHub to see how you write and organize code.

Here’s what to include:

• A short description of each project

• Clean, well-commented code

• A README file explaining what your project does and how to run it

• Optional: a Jupyter Notebook walkthrough

Think of your GitHub as your bioinformatics resume, it’s a live portfolio that grows with you.

Quick Recap: Build Your Bioinformatics Portfolio in 4 Steps

1. Learn to Code: Master Python, R, and bash scripting, your core tools for any bioinformatics job.

2. Pick Your Field: Choose what excites you most, genomics, proteomics, or data science in biology.

3. Use Public Data: Practice using open datasets like NCBI SRA or 1000 Genomes

4. Showcase on GitHub: Turn your projects into pipelines or tools, and share them on GitHub to impress recruiters.

Want to build real-world projects guided by experts? Check out Bversity’s PG Diploma in Bioinformatics and Genomics, this is your launchpad to a career in bioinformatics.