transcriptomics

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the comprehensive study of all RNA transcripts produced by a genome under specific circumstances — the transcriptome — providing a snapshot of which genes are actively expressed and at what levels in a particular cell type, tissue, developmental stage, or disease state; RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is the dominant transcriptomic technology, enabling quantification of messenger RNA, non-coding RNA, and splice variants across the entire genome; single-cell transcriptomics allows gene expression profiling at the resolution of individual cells, revealing cellular heterogeneity within tissues; transcriptomics has transformed understanding of development, immunity, neurological disease, and cancer, and enables identification of molecular subtypes of disease that have distinct clinical behaviours and optimal treatments