Functional genomics in reproductive medicine

The British Fertility Society organised a workshop on Functional Genomics in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Birmingham on 13-14 September 2001. The primary aim was to inform delegates about the power of the technology that has been made available after completion of the sequencing of the human genome, and to stimulate debate about using functional genomics to address both clinical and scientific questions in reproductive medicine. Three specific areas were addressed: proteomics, gene expression and bioinformatics. Although the sophistication and plethora of techniques available were obvious, major limitations in the technology were also discussed. The future promises to be very challenging indeed.