Trends in IT and Life Sciences Education based on AI Tools

Keywords: education, AI tools, ChatGPT, LLM, life sciences

TL;DR: We describe current trends in education based on AI tools, its eddects and problems

Abstract:

AI-based tools such as ChatGPT are currently reshaping the landscape of higher education and significantly impacting student learning and academic achievement in multiple fields including mathematics, biophysics, bioinformatics. We review here trends in AI education using LLM (Large Language Models) and interactive models based on recent work (Orlova, Orlov, 2025).
Applications for education courses for undergraduate students have shown importance of module and interactive courses. Course-based undergraduate research experiences represent a transformative pedagogical approach. Regarding software environment used internationally we note main programming tools and environments - R, Python, MATLAB. Interactive digital notebooks (Jupyter notebooks) have been used in an educational setting for bioinformatics teaching. For digital training courses, it is possible to reuse, repurpose existing educational materials, sample data and programs. To keep the standards a set of rules have been developed based on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principles. We note current transfer from classical textbook on bioinformatics to interactive courses and interactive textbooks, Wikipedia-style “Edit” links, online accessible resources for bioinformatics learning are available, for example Rosalind. Active learning assumes group problem-solving, the use of personal response systems. Gamification is the use of game mechanics to promote students’ engagement to problem-solving in non-game situations. Gamification has been widely used for training following education in IT and AI.
The problems of new educational approaches in bioinformatics have been discussed at the students’ workshops organized at First Sechenov Moscow State Medical University of the Russian Ministry of Health (Sechenov University) in Moscow. The Digital Chair of Sechenov University presents educational materials in Russian (https://dk.sechenov.ru/) extending universities initiatives on IT education and digital transformation. As an example of the courses output, the training on gene network reconstruction and annotation have been effective for education of medical students that lead to series of the students’ project publications.
Bioinformatics education in the forms of short courses, distant-learning, self-learning programs, and now generative models passed its way to modern development of AI tools. Besides the research problem, AI has diverse effects on education, both positive and negative. The perspectives on how to integrate tools like ChatGPT into bioinformatics have been discussed recently including bioinformatics. Generative artificial intelligence has delivered promising results in drug discovery and development. The Open Educational platform supported by UNESCO now includes AI tools for education courses online. The usage of ChatGPT in medical education among faculty and students at leading universities. Note again grand challenges - AI-enhanced lab automation, the Research-CoPilot, the convergence of omics and synthetic biology, and the integration of bioinformatics with spatial biology and 3D structure prediction for macromolecules. Integration of LLM into learning and teaching practice enhances digital competitiveness for medical and health science students. Finally, we highlight latest problems related to ethical concerns on AI applications in education.

Submission Number: 65