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Focusing on fine features in order to see "the big picture" seems almost counterintuitive, but that is exactly what is happening in the field of genomics. Researchers are sequencing human genomes, cataloging the variation in people's genetic code – the As, Ts, Gs, and Cs of human DNA that serve as each individual’s biological blueprint – to get a broader view of human health, a deeper knowledge of human genetic history, and a clearer understanding of why some people develop certain diseases while others do not.

Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) – inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract – have puzzled the scientific community for decades. Ten years ago, researchers recognized that both genes and the environment contributed to these diseases but knew little about precisely how and why illness occurred. To begin to narrow in on the key pathways involved, they would need thousands of patients’ samples, millions of data points, and the commitment of physicians and scientists at dozens of institutions.