Genomic Unit

Genomics is an area of Biology in which the objective is to make an overall study of the genomes.  We understand genome by the hereditary material of an organism, including all its genes and non-coding regions.  Only a small fraction of the genetic information that a cell contains is active at any given moment. 


Differences in genomes expression are responsible for the phenotypic changes, the reactions to stimulus, or the adaptation to the environment of the organisms. Determining the genomes` sequence leads to the Functional Genomics, an area which pursues the understanding of the genome function on a global scale and its repercussion in the development and physiology of an organism.  
The possibility of characterizing the gene function of different organisms through high-throughput technologies, such as the gene expression profile analysis with microarrays, the phenotype screening of mutants or the analysis of protein interactions, are actually essential tools in the Biological and Biomedical Investigation.  
Likewise, the characterization of microsatellites or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with certain phenotypes and diseases, has opened great expectations in the Biomedical Investigation.


In recent years, the DNA Biochips (microarrys) have become into one of the most utilized implements in biology.  At present, various different platforms coexist to carry out these studies.


However, the manipulation of a vast amount of samples to be processed in a reduced period of time, with accuracy and high reproducibility, permits a wide study of the candidate genes on an individual level.  This is possible due to diverse high performance technologies that have been improved by the use of robots with different characteristics.