Abstract

Biology is increasingly digital, and scientists are generating huge amounts of data daily, turning molecules into sequences and text files. As a biologist, you might need help analyzing all these data and have considered collaborating with a computer scientist for the first, second, or third time. This person might have some training in computational biology, but their main focus has always been computer science (CS), and here is the challenge – how do you talk to them? They might be able to write efficient code, but they often do not know some of the basics of biology. When they look at your molecules, some of them might see text files before biology. Also, if explaining things takes so much time, is it worth it? Should you be analyzing your own data instead? Or perhaps you have noticed that all those big, shiny papers of today represent a smart blend of biology and CS. You have found a collaborator and want to learn how to engage them. These 10 simple rules aim to help..