From Curiosity to Code: My Path into Bioinformatics

It started with one workshop.

I’ve always had this deep desire to help improve people’s health. Back in secondary school, I used to brag about becoming a medical doctor—so much so that my classmates literally started calling me Doctor.

But today? I’m nowhere close to becoming a physician. And honestly—I have no shame in that.

What changed?

I gained context.

The desire to improve lives is still very much alive in me. But I used to think medicine was the only way. I loved biology. I was passionate about science. So, like many others, I thought: “I’m meant to be a medical doctor. That’s the path.”

Then came university.

The Workshop That Changed Everything

In my first year as a Bioengineering student (2019), I joined the EMBS IEEE club at Yıldız Technical University, just looking to participate in something meaningful. That’s when I attended a workshop titled Computer-Aided Drug Design — hosted by a medical university for students like us.

I still have the original handout we received — a simple schematic. But the ideas it held were anything but simple.

That day, I was introduced to terms like:

• Disease-gene association
• Online cancer/disease databases
• In silico drug discovery
• Python, Linux, Machine Learning, Deep Learning

Words I had never heard before… yet, somehow, they felt like home. I felt something shift inside me. I knew I had found something powerful. And I instinctively knew: I need to learn how to program if I want to do this.

I didn’t act immediately. That moment planted a seed. It wasn’t until 2020 that it started to grow.

COVID: A Crisis and a Turning Point

2020 came with disruption, fear, and isolation. But amidst the chaos, I found something beautiful — focus.

Thanks to platforms like Coursera, and the blessing of financial aid, I began my journey into tech. I took courses on:

• Python
• Excel
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning

Each course added a layer to my understanding. But even more importantly — it changed my identity. I wasn’t just a student anymore. I was becoming a creator, a problem-solver, an informatician.

When Projects Become Proof

One event solidified my transformation: TEKNOFEST.

I joined a team and competed in medical image processing — doing classification, segmentation, and real-world analysis. Out of 219 teams, we ranked 16th with our Ensemble Classification Architecture. That experience taught me something no course ever could:

Confidence doesn’t come from knowledge. It comes from applying that knowledge.

That’s why in my newsletter, Education Is Always the Future at La Grande Dieta, I always emphasize this:
Do projects. They change everything.

Remembering the Two Questions

At that first workshop, I wrote down two questions in my notes:

1. How can we identify genes associated with a disease?
2. What are online cancer/disease databases?

At some point, I forgot I had written them down.

But those questions stayed with me.

They became the unconscious compass of my journey. I began diving into:

• Bioinformatics courses
• Internships and workshops
• Research papers and projects

Eventually, I even did my graduation thesis on Drug–Target Bioactivity Prediction.

Where I Am Now

Today, I can confidently:

• Analyze biological datasets
• Associate genes with diseases
• Use dozens of online disease/genome databases
• Build predictive models for research

I’ve worked on academic research teams. I’ve freelanced for clients around the world. I’ve collaborated on papers, built tools, and mentored others along the way.

But here’s the real shift:

The questions I ask now aren’t “How can I learn this?”
They’re: “What can I discover?” and “How can I help others do the same?”

Why I’m Sharing This

This isn’t just my story. It’s a roadmap for anyone wondering:

• “Where do I start?”
• “Do I have to be a doctor to help people?”
• “Can I learn tech without a degree in computer science?”

Yes, you can.

I started with two simple questions and a workshop flyer. If you’re reading this, you’re already further along than you think.

📩 Final Words

If you’re interested in learning how to get started in bioinformatics, tech, or data science — or you just want to keep learning alongside someone who’s still learning too — consider subscribing to my newsletter: Education Is Always The Future.

And if you’re working on something exciting and need a hand — whether it’s a research project, a learning plan, or a tool to build — let’s connect.

Because curiosity is where it starts.

But code?
That’s where it begins to change the world.