Grand terms have been used to describe recent progress in biomedical science due to advances in genomics. This is not purely hyperbole. In little more than two decades, we have gone from a having only a rudimentary understanding of a small fraction of the sequence and function of our genome to possessing tens of thousands of complete human genome sequences with a growing instruction manual for their interpretation. Genomics advances relevant to human health and disease not only include information about the human genome but extend to discoveries regarding the genomes of a broad diversity of other organisms. Some genomic advances have had obvious, immediate relevance to the health of the pediatric population, such as the discovery of mutations causing serious single gene disorders and the development of rapid molecular diagnostic tests for pathogens. Others, such as genome sequence data from experimental model organisms have proximate, but not immediate, potential for improving the well-being of children. Less obvious, but potentially with the greatest long term import for human well-being, are genomic discoveries relevant to food production, the environment, and energy
