From Genome to Therapy

Recent technological advances have led to a rapid acceleration in our ability to gather genetic data. The complete genetic sequences are now known to several organisms and accelerated programmes are in place for sequencing many other genomes, including human. The speed with which complete sequencing can be accomplished will continue to increase as new technologies come online. In principle, the scope for developing new diagnostic techniques and drugs is now greater than at any time in human history, but the pathway from genetic information to usable drug is a long and complex one.

This exciting book brings together a high-calibre group of experts to discuss the practical application of genomic information to the development of drugs. The subjects covered include the current state of the art in sequencing technology, the applications of these new technologies to sequencing the genomes of various organisms, and the challenge of proteomics. Additional contributions deal with legal and ethical implications of the new uses of genetic data, and functional genomes from the point of view of the pharmaceutical industry.