That is the genome now, this could be the genome in the future

Booster Shots blogged Thursday about Nature’s look back at the human genome, published 10 years ago. Now let’s note the journal’s look to the future.

Leaders of the National Human Genome Research Institute on Thursday published their strategic plan for the next phase of human genome research.

The paper, “Charting a Course for Genomic Medicine From Base Pairs to Bedside,” sets up five “domains” for the future of genome research: understanding the structure of genomes, understanding the biology of genomes, understanding the biology of disease, advancing the science of medicine, and improving the effectiveness of healthcare.

In practical terms, said authors Eric D. Green and Mark S. Guyer, making progress in those areas “will depend not only on research, but also on new policies, practices and other developments.”

Click here to read the blueprint, and here to see more genome coverage from Nature.

For further reading: Green participated in a Q&A about the plan with MIT’s Technology Review on Thursday. A National Institutes of Health-sponsored symposium on the genome took place on Friday.

RELATED: More Booster Shots posts, here and here, on the genome’s anniversary.