Development of Genomic Sciences in Mexico: A Good Start and a Long Way to Go

The most important revolutionary frontier of the biological sciences in the present century is derived from the knowledge of the complete genomic information of different organisms. The discoveries derived from genomics are generating a new paradigm in biology, substituting gene-centered biology with a new level of integration: genome-centered biology. This new concept is the basis for potential developments of great social impact in different fields such as medicine, agriculture, and industry, to mention only a few. The knowledge necessary for this new area is derived from different disciplines, mainly mathematics, computer sciences, and biology. Here we refer to the integration of these disciplines as ‘‘genomic sciences.’’ Rather than intending a comprehensive review of the state of the art in Mexico, we will discuss key aspects that allowed the initiation of, and that will certainly shape the development of, genomic sciences in this country.