Technology infrastructure in support of a medical & bioinformatics masters degree

In 2003, Grand Valley State University started a Masters program in Medical & Bioinformatics. This M.S. degree, together with related degrees in Biostatistics and Biotechnology, were part of the "Professional Science Masters" development and implementation initiative supported by the Sloan Foundation. The interdisciplinary curriculum includes common core courses, the promotion and development of "soft skills" through teamwork and project management experiences, and an applied research focus with a mandatory business/industry internship. Instrumental to achieving these goals is a strong lab component to the curriculum that incorporates familiarity with industry-standard and widely-used software packages. We here give an update on details of the system architecture, software components, and their adaptations through the first six years of our program.