Virology in the 21st century: finding function with functional genomics

When functional genomics first appeared on the scene, the ability to perform global gene expression and protein profiling was hailed as a revolutionary new way to study biologic systems, likely to result in dramatic new discoveries. As time has passed, DNA microarrays and mass spectrometry have been used to generate huge amounts of data, and databases are overflowing with information. But how well is functional genomics living up to its promises, and has all this data resulted in an improved understanding of biologic processes' This article puts forward a perspective on what is required to ensure that data generated by microarrays and mass spectrometry provide real insights into how genes and proteins function and how this relates to the host response to infection.