Genetics and genomics

National Gene Technology Scheme

Learn about our national scheme to regulate gene technology in Australia.

Office of the Gene Technology Regulator

Find out how the Gene Technology Regulator manages, and protects against, risks posed by genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Genomics Health Futures Mission

We fund research into genomic medicine. Learn more about the mission, why it’s important, its goals, who is involved and funding grants that may be available.

National stocktake

Find out the results of a national stocktake of genetic and genomic testing and activities.

About genetics and genomics

Advances in medical science help to improve health care in Australia. Gene technology and genomics can give us new testing, diagnosis and treatments for diseases such as cancer and help produce new vaccines and drugs.

Genetics is the study of how genes work and transmit information from parents to offspring. It can help us understand the risk of inheriting a genetic disease.

Genomics is the study and mapping of genomes – the full set of genetic instructions for an organism. It includes both human and other genomes and how these interact with the environment.

Genomics can help doctors:

identify and diagnose genetic disorders and rare diseases
develop prevention strategies
tailor a patient’s treatment.

Researchers used genomics techniques to sequence the SARS-CoV-2 virus genome and this meant COVID-19 vaccines could quickly be developed.

Gene technology involves changing an organism’s genes so that it gains, loses, or changes certain traits. It can be used to:

produce new vaccines or medicines
develop new ways to diagnose and treat disease.

New National Gene Technology Scheme website

30 March 2022

$90 million to help Australians live longer and healthier lives

30 September 2021

Funding boost for genomics research into cancers and to combat children’s diseases

12 May 2020

View more news

What we're doing about genetics and genomics

Strategies and frameworks

We develop our policy frameworks through extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including:

the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)
the Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN)
the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)
the Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN)
members of the public.

A consistent national approach to genomics policy

Integrating genomics into Australia’s health system to improve health outcomes both for individuals and the larger population will involve reshaping clinical practice.

This policy framework provides a consistent national approach designed to coordinate activities and address policy issues and challenges. It is built around 5 key priorities.

Read the National Health Genomics Policy Framework

Strategic priorities for microbial genomics

Microbial genomics is a tool that gives us information about the genomic sequence of pathogens. We can use this information to better manage outbreaks and threats from communicable diseases.

The national framework outlines 5 strategic priorities and we developed a plan to guide its implementation.

Read the National Microbial Genomics Framework

Latest resources

1:03

Medical Research Future Fund – Professor Kathryn North case study

14 August 2018

Story

Professor North tells us how genomics is helping many children, who only 5 or 10 years ago would have been admitted to hospital for invasive tests, sometimes without answers.

Indigenous Health Genomics – The Legal, Ethical and Social Issues

8 November 2022

Report

This issues paper identifies the ethical, legal, social and cultural issues surrounding the collection and use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander genomic material and data in both clinical and research settings.