Ten Quick Tips for Harnessing the Power of ChatGPT/GPT-4 in Computational Biology

Abstract: The rise of advanced chatbots, such as ChatGPT, has sparked curiosity in the scientific community. ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot powered by LLMs GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, with the potential to impact numerous fields, including computational biology. In this article, we offer ten tips based on our experience with ChatGPT to assist computational biologists in optimizing their workflows. We have collected relevant prompts and reviewed the nascent literature in the field, compiling tips we project to remain pertinent for future ChatGPT and LLM iterations, ranging from code refactoring to scientific writing to prompt engineering. We hope our work will help bioinformaticians to complement their workflows while staying aware of the various implications of using this technology. Additionally, to track new and creative applications for bioinformatics tools such as ChatGPT, we have established a GitHub repository at https://github.com/csbl-br/awesome-compbio-chatgpt. Our belief is that ethical adherence to ChatGPT and other LLMs will increase the efficiency of computational biologists, ultimately advancing the pace of scientific discovery in the life sciences.