What is transcriptomics?

Transcriptomics is the study of the transcriptome – the complete set of RNA transcripts that are produced by the genome at any one time. It involves quantifying the expression levels of mRNAs, and sometimes other non-coding RNAs, to understand gene activity and cellular function. Common uses include identifying differentially expressed genes in different conditions (e.g., healthy vs. diseased tissue), discovering novel transcripts, and profiling gene expression changes in response to stimuli or treatments.