Future Perspectives

We have made tremendous strides in our understanding and utilization of the new methodologies in molecular biology over the past 50 yr. With our recent access to complete genome sequences, the function of different transcripts and proteins, the gene products, will soon be determined and, consequently, their functions in cells, tissues, and organisms will be defined. Therefore, gene expression analysis not only provides an important functional genomics technology but also will lead to future research opportunities, diagnostic utilization, targeted drug development, and clinical therapeutic applications. With more defined methodologies, more specific questions in molecular biology can be answered. The study of molecular biology has certainly entered a phase of exponential growth and productivity. In this chapter, general principles will be proposed, and examples will be provided for exploring the future perspectives of the biomedical field, using some novel technologies described in this book.