🧬 Python for Biologists - Course Website

This is the official course website for Python for Biologists, a practical programming course designed for Year 3 Biology, Biochemistry, and Neuroscience students at the University of Sussex.

🌐 Live Site: python-for-biologists.vercel.app

📚 About the Course

This course teaches Python programming through biological applications, requiring no prior coding experience. Students learn to:

• Automate lab calculations
• Analyze DNA/RNA sequences
• Process experimental data
• Create data visualizations
• Build practical tools for research

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js 14 (App Router)
• Styling: Tailwind CSS v4
• Language: TypeScript
• Deployment: Vercel
• Package Manager: npm

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18.0 or higher
• npm or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/HocheggerLab/python-for-biologists-website.git
cd python-for-biologists-website

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Run the development server:

npm run dev

4. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser

📁 Project Structure

├── app/                    # Next.js app router pages
│   ├── lectures/          # Lecture slide viewer pages
│   ├── notebooks/         # Notebook listing pages
│   └── under-construction/ # Placeholder for upcoming content
├── components/            # React components
│   ├── lectures/         # Lecture-specific components
│   └── slides/           # Reusable slide components
├── data/                  # Course data and content
│   └── lectures/         # Lecture slide components
├── layout/               # Layout components (Navigation, Footer)
├── public/               # Static assets
└── styles/              # Global styles

🎨 Design System

Colors

• Primary: Bio-blue (#00d4ff) - Interactive elements
• Secondary: Bio-green (#4CAF50) - Success states
• Accent: Bio-yellow (#ffd700) - Highlights
• Background: Dark gradients (#1a1a2e to #0a0a0f)

Components

• Glass-morphism cards with backdrop blur
• Gradient text effects
• Smooth animations and transitions
• Responsive grid layouts

🔧 Development

Available Scripts

npm run dev      # Start development server
npm run build    # Build for production
npm run start    # Start production server
npm run lint     # Run ESLint

Adding New Content

1. New Lecture: Add to /data/lectures.ts
2. New Slides: Create components in /data/lectures/lectureX/
3. New Resources: Update /data/resources.ts

🚢 Deployment

The site automatically deploys to Vercel when changes are pushed to the main branch.

Manual Deployment

npm run build
vercel --prod

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📞 Contact

• Course Instructors: Prof. Helfrid Hochegger (hh65@sussex.ac.uk) and Dr. Doran Amos (D.P.Amos@sussex.ac.uk)
• Course Repository: github.com/HocheggerLab/y3-bio-python

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with Next.js and Tailwind CSS
• Lecture content developed by Helfrid Hochegger
• Designed for University of Sussex Life Sciences students

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Made with ❤️ for biology students learning to code