Genomics, proteomics, and the new paradigm in biomedical research

This article is based on the keynote address that introduced the third biennial Asan Medical Center-Harvard Medical International Symposium "Genetics and Proteomics: Impact on Medicine and Health" that took place in Seoul, Korea, July 3-4, 2001. In his address, the author summarized exciting achievements in the field of genomics and introduced the related and emerging field of proteomics. By using industrialized high-throughput approaches, genomics and proteomics are dramatically accelerating the pace of biological research. They have started a scientific revolution whose impact will range from elucidating the structure of our chromosomes to providing powerful new tools for the study of disease; and from understanding human evolutionary history to novel applications in the medicine of the future. The author's overview highlighted the recent history of the two fields and laid the foundation for the rest of the symposium presentations.