Researchers are moving at a rapid pace not only to complete the work of mapping and sequencing genes, but also to exploit the knowledge about the genes that have already been identified to discover new therapies. This entire set of disciplines is known as genomics. Several other scientific disciplines have emerged as a result of the effort to map the genome. One such discipline, called bioinformatics , is dedicated to the management of the mountains of data that have been generated by these worldwide efforts. Another important field, functional genomics , studies gene function in model systems, such as the flies and worms whose DNA have so much in common with our own.
Functional genomics helps apply information gleaned from genomics to the real world.
The advances in genomics marks a watershed in pharmaceutical research. If we can tie a gene to a protein involved in a disease process, and follow that process from beginning to end, we have the first clue in finding out at which point we want to interfere in the disease process to get the maximum results. Many are part of complex processes, where each gene's protein product interacts with three to 10 other proteins, and so there may be as many as 3,000 to 10,000 targets for pharmaceutical intervention available through genomics research.