Biochip platforms as functional genomics tools for drug discovery

Improvements in DNA microarray technology have resulted in the generation of data on a scale that, for the first time, permits detailed scrutiny of the human genome. These data provide the foundation for understanding not only the connections between genes and the purpose of genes in the human genome, but also the molecular basis of genetic defects. These advances have the potential to significantly improve healthcare management by improving disease diagnosis and specifically targeting molecular therapy. Herein, the current state of the technology is reviewed, the commercial platforms used by the biopharmaceutical industry are compared and contrasted, and recent efforts in cross-platform data integration are explored.