Genomics is a term coined by Thomas Roderick in 1986. It refers to mapping, sequencing and analysis of genomes. Throughout the years, genomics has revolutionized to provide much information. Many genomes of various organisms have been sequenced, from the very simple, like bacterium, to the most complex, human. Genomics can be broken down into three categories: structural, functional, and comparative.

Structural genomics is defined as “the assignment of three dimensional structures to proteomes (which define the protein compliment to the genome) and the investigation of their biological implications”. Structural genomics is used to determine the structure of a protein. The structure of a protein is valuable for determining the protein function and where it can bind to cause reactions. To determine the structure, scientists use Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, X-ray crystallography, or prediction by looking at known homologous proteins. One main application of structural genomics is drug design. In treating certain diseases, protein structure is important.

Functional genomics is the “the development and application of global experimental approaches to assess gene function by making use of the information and reagents provided by structural genomics” (Hieter and Boguski, 601), or functional genomics deals with the function of the genes and proteins. Functions of single nucleotide polymorphisms and noncoding regions or “junk” DNA are some objectives researchers use functional genomics for.

Comparative genomics is exactly what the phrase implies; it compares genomes of different organisms. This includes comparing genes, genomes and proteins. Much of this field is concentrated in comparing organisms to humans; however, it does include all other comparisons. When comparative genomics is used, one can determine how closely related two species are or if two species have similar proteins. A main outcome of comparative genomics is determining the evolutionary tree of living organisms.

The implications of genomics in general can be seen everywhere. An obvious application is medicine. The medical field benefits tremendously from genomics. One major benefit is in treating genetically inherited diseases. Students need to know how the study of genomics can and does affect their everyday lives.