Mapping Public Policy for Genetic Technologies

Chapter 3. What Is Genomics?

Information Contained in this Chapter
The Study of all the Genes in an Organism
Genomics and Medicine

Genomics is the study of all of the genes in an organism-their sequences, structure, regulation, interaction and products. It is a powerful new instrument of basic research and a potent tool in the search for new disease treatments.

The human genome consists of 3 billion base pairs of DNA and 6 billion individual nucleotide bases.

Understanding this information requires new tools of molecular biology and computing.

Most human diseases have a genetic component. Genes, diet, exercise, chemical toxins, and radiation may all interact to trigger disease.

Understanding this, scientists can use genomics to speeds up development of diagnostics and therapeutics.

The Study of all the Genes in an Organism Genomics is the study of all the genes that make up an organism. Decoding the genes describes the proteins that make up the organism. Understanding these proteins helps researchers understand disease mechanisms, and makes it easier to develop new medicines, diagnostics tests, vaccines and health management techniques.

Genomics and Medicine

Realizing this potential, academic researchers and national governments formed The Human Genome Program in the late 1980s. The program's purpose was to help fund the research (expected to cost several billion dollars before it is complete), help avoid duplicative research, help organize the results, and help understand some of the legal and social implications of genomic advances.

It is important to note, however, that The Human Genome Program is not the only program of this type. During the past several years, several private organizations have focused their resources on large-scale gene sequencing and have built up data libraries far larger than those of the publicly funded programs. These companies have developed their own sophisticated computer tools for searching and interpreting the information. They are attempting to perfect methods of turning this raw biological information into candidate medicines, vaccines and diagnostics.

Biotechnology companies have been founded expressly to sequence DNA, and genomics has become an integral part of the drug discovery efforts of a growing number of major pharmaceutical companies. The science of genomics demands knowledge of a variety of disciplines. Experts from molecular genetics, biochemistry and bioinformatics are working together at these companies conduct to advanced research. Overall, genomics makes up an important part of the $26 billion that U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies spend annually on research.

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