genomics

Genomics is a branch of genetics that studies the genome, the entire genetic material within various organisms. The field involves extensive efforts to determine the complete DNA sequence and map the genome. It also includes the study of several phenomena that occur within the genome, such as heterosis, epistasis, pleiotropy, and other interactions between different loci and alleles within the genome. In contrast, when a limited number of genes (but not all genes) are studied, it is called molecular biology or genetics, a topic often found in biomedical research. Research on a single gene (or a limited number of genes) does not fall within the definition of genomics unless the goal of this research is to study the gene’s effect on the entire genome. The genome is the sum of all the genes in an individual organism. Thus, genomics is the study of genes in a cell or tissue at the DNA level.