Génomics

Génomics is the interdisciplinary field that studies the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of genomes. It seeks to understand how genetic information is organized, how it is expressed, how variation arises, and how genomes interact with their cellular and ecological environments.

Core activities include sequencing, assembling, and annotating genomic sequences; analyzing genome architecture; and linking genotype to phenotype. Functional genomics extends these goals by measuring gene expression, regulation, and interactions using technologies such as transcriptomics, epigenomics, and proteomics. Comparative genomics uses data from multiple species to infer evolutionary relationships and functional elements.

Technologies driving gænomics include advances in DNA sequencing, especially high-throughput or next-generation sequencing, long-read sequencing, and computational analysis. Data management, bioinformatics, and statistical methods are essential components of modern genomics research.

Applications span multiple sectors. In medicine, genomic information informs diagnosis, risk assessment, and personalized or precision medicine. In agriculture, genomic selection and gene editing help improve crops and livestock. In ecology and conservation, genomics aids the study of biodiversity, population structure, and adaptations to environments.

History notes that the field emerged from genetics and molecular biology, with milestones such as the completion of a reference human genome in 2003 and subsequent rapid growth in sequencing capacity and data analysis tools.

Ethical and social considerations include data privacy, informed consent, ownership of genetic information, and governance of genome data and sharing practices. See also functional genomics, comparative genomics, medical genomics.