GENOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS

This chapter discusses the basic principles of molecular biology regarding genome science and describes the major types of data involved in genome projects, including technologies for collecting them. Genome science is heavily driven by new technological advances that allow for rapid and inexpensive collection of various types of data. The emergence of genomic science has not simply provided a rich set of tools and data for studying molecular biology. It has been the catalyst for an astounding burst of interdisciplinary research, and it has challenged long-established hierarchies found in most institutions of higher learning. The next generation of biologists needs to be as comfortable at a computer workstation as they are at the lab bench. Recognizing this fact, many universities have already reorganized their departments and their curricula to accommodate the demands of genomic science.The chapter discusses practical applications and uses of genomic data. For example, in the foreseeable future, are gene therapies that can repair genetic defects.