Box 1 Resources

One of the key and distinctive objectives of the Human Genome Project (HGP) has been the generation of large, publicly available, comprehensive sets of reagents and data (scientific resources or 'infrastructure') that, along with other new, powerful technologies, comprise a toolkit for genomics-based research. Genomic maps and sequences are the most obvious examples. Others include databases of sequence variation, clone libraries and collections of anonymous cell lines. The continued generation of such resources is critical, in particular:

• Genome sequences of key mammals, vertebrates, chordates, and invertebrates
   
• Comprehensive reference sets of coding sequences from key species in various formats, for example, full-length cDNA sequences and corresponding clones, oligonucleotide primers, and microarrays
   
• Comprehensive collections of knockouts and knock-downs of all genes in selected animals to accelerate the development of models of disease
   
• Comprehensive reference sets of proteins from key species in various formats, for example in expression vectors, with affinity tags and spotted onto protein chips
   
• Comprehensive sets of protein affinity reagents
   
• Databases that integrate sequences with curated information and other large data sets, as well as tools for effective mining of the data
   
• Cohort populations for studies designed to identify genetic contributors to health and to assess the effect of individual gene variants on disease risk, including a 'healthy' cohort
   
• Large libraries of small molecules, together with robotic methods to screen them and access to medicinal chemistry for follow-up, to provide investigators easy and affordable access to these tools