Pharma IQ Glossary: Genome Project

A Genome Project is a scientific endeavor that ultimately aims to determine the complete genome sequence of an organism (be it an animal, a plant, a fungus, a bacterium, a protist or a virus). The genome sequence for any organism requires the DNA sequences for each of the chromosomes in an organism to be determined. For bacteria, which usually have just one chromosome, a genome project will aim to map the sequence of that chromosome. The Human Genome Project was a landmark genome project that is already having a major impact on research across the life sciences, with potential for spurring numerous medical and commercial developments.