Leading article Functional genomics in gastroenterology

Identification of the DNA structure as a double stranded helix consisting of two nucleotide chain molecules was a milestone in modern molecular biology. This discovery has lead to a rapidly accumulating body of genomic infor-mation. The dramatic developments in genetic analysis during the past decade have placed genomics at the forefront of life science research. Large multinational projects (for example, the human genome project) have generated a host of sequence, mapping, and expression data. At the same time, new technologies for automated sequencing, data analysis, genotyping, expression, and protein analysis have been developed. An important result is identification of the genetic aetiology of many mono-genic diseases and the enormous progress in the explora-tion of polygenic disorders