Glossary

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Base: Also referred to as a nucleotide, a base is a molecule that is the structural unit of DNA (or RNA). The four DNA bases are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Joined together, they make up the strands of the DNA double helix.

Base pairs: DNA strands pair together using specific rules: adenine (A) bonds with thymine (T) and guanine (G) with cytosine (C). These complementary pairs of DNA bases are referred to as “base pairs.” The human genome is about three billion base pairs long.

Bioinformatics: Bioinformatics, or “computational biology,” is a relatively new scientific discipline that involves using computer software and databases to analyze genomic data. See also, Research Methods under "What We Do."

Biomarker: A measurement that can be used as a test for or to predict the outcome of disease, such as a genetic mutation or the level of a specific protein in blood.

Biorepository: A large collection or “warehouse” of biological materials (such as tissue, blood, urine, or other samples) stored, organized, and distributed for future use by scientists.