Genomics

Genomics is a scientific field focused on the study of genomes and their structure, functions, and evolutionary history. A genome is the complete set of DNA that is present in each cell of a living organism. The genome is broken down into individual genes, each of which encodes a specific protein. Organisms have huge numbers of proteins that perform a variety of diverse biological functions. Mutations in a gene can cause defects in protein production that can lead to various disease conditions from cancer to sickle cell anemia. In contrast to genetics, which tends to focus on the functions of single genes, genomics considers the full genome and larger gene networks and often considers populations and variations that arise at these broader levels. The mapping and modeling of genomes has has wide implications for the fields of medicine, molecular biology, pharmaceutical sciences, and more. Advances in DNA sequencing could change the way that many diseases are approached and treated.