Genomics is the study of the genetic material in the chromosomes unique to a specific organism. The sequencing of the human genome is a monumental achievement that will radically reshape biology and medicine. An inventory of genes will impact molecular medicine the most, leading to improved diagnosis of disease. Evolving disciplines such as pharmacogenetics will shed light on how genetic differences influence the variability in patient's responses to drugs. Through the use of pharmacogenetics, we will soon be able to profile variations between individual's DNA to predict response to a particular medication. Sequencing of prokaryotic genomes will also aid in vaccine design and allow exploration of new microbial energy sources, while knowledge of other animal and plant genomes should enhance agriculture.

Among the most powerful and versatile tools for genomics are high-density arrays of oligonucleotides (complementary DNAs). Nucleic acids arrays work by hybridization of labeled RNA or DNA in solution with DNA molecules attached at specific locations on a surface. A central tool in studying functional genomics, or the control of genetic pathways, is a chip-based technology known as DNA microarray technology. These chips scan for single base changes at the DNA level and correlate the changes to a disease state.

Over the next decade the field of functional genomics will answer some of the most important and fundamental questions facing biological scientists, including:

• Defining the processes downstream of a primary genetic defect.
• Identifying how all the 30,000 to 40,000 human genes in the genome interact with each other.
• Defining how very small and subtle changes, which themselves do not cause a disease, interact to cause a phenotype.