WHO definitions of genetics and genomics

Genetics is the study of heredity.1

Genomics is defined as the study of genes and their functions, and related techniques. 1,2

The main difference between genomics and genetics is that genetics scrutinizes the functioning and composition of the single gene where as genomics addresses all genes and their inter relationships in order to identify their combined influence on the growth and development of the organism.

References

• 1. Genomics and World Health: Report of the Advisory Committee on Health research, Geneva, WHO (2002)
• 2. WHA 57.13: Genomics and World Health, Fifty Seventh World Health Assembly Resolution; 22 May 2004