ABSTRACT
Genome sequencing projects, whether bacterial, yeast, nematode, plant or human have become an everyday part of scientific life. Scientific journals and even the science section in national newspapers regularly refer to genome sequencing projects and their potential benefits. In medicine, for example, there is development of rapid diagnostic tests and therapies for disease treatment and prevention, including those based on gene therapies. In particular, diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are likely to be an area in which genomic research will have its earliest impact on new drug development. Prospects for enhancing food production, through more rapid molecular breeding of crop plants and animals, are also highlighted as areas of potential benefit from genome research.
