The central achievement of the genomics revolution in biology arguably lies in the mapping and sequencing of the human genome and the generation of the fine haplotype maps that are being used to study human diversity. While this is an amazing accomplishment that will likely pay dividends for years, the genome’s sequence itself has taught us little that has immediate applicability in human health. This was clearly anticipated by some, who reflected that knowing the sequence of a 10 kB virus did little to immediately curb the AIDS epidemic, nor did identification of the gene for Huntington’s disease lead immediately to a cure for that disease. In both cases, however, great strides have been made, and these great strides have followed from the integration of genomics data with data from other areas, including studies of gene expression (mRNA and protein) and general biochemistry and cell biology studies.
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