The transcriptomic revolution and radiation biology

PURPOSE: This article will briefly review the origins and evolution of functional genomics, first describing the experimental technology, and then some of the approaches applied to data analysis and visualization. It will emphasize application of functional genomics to radiation biology, using examples from the author's work to illustrate several key types of analysis. It concludes with a look at non-coding RNA, alternative reading of the genome, and single-cell transcriptomics, some of the innovative areas that may help to shape future research in radiation biology and oncology. CONCLUSIONS: Transcriptomic approaches have provided insight into many areas of radiation biology and medicine, and innovations in technology and data analysis approaches promise continued contributions to radiation science in the future.