The Centre of Excellence in Functional Genomics aims to augment the existing world-class biotechnology and biomedical facilities at Coleraine by concentrating on research projects with potential for commercial impact on biotechnology, biomedicine or high-added-value food production. This work uses the modern techniques of functional genomics - the molecular analysis of how gene products work, as opposed to structural genomics - the discovery of what genes exist. It has significantly increased the infrastructure of genomics research in Northern Ireland.