The Merck Gene Index project

The Merck Gene Index project (MGIP) fills an important niche in the Human G enome Project by directly identifying genes through sequences of their tran scripts and placing in the public domain a set of EST sequences and associa ted clones for the uniquely expressed human genes. The MGIP promotes the un restricted exchange of human genomic data, and facilitates progress in biom edical research by reducing duplication of efforts, speeding the identifica tion of disease-related genes and furthering our understanding of disease p rocesses. The project is stimulating biological research, which in turn is the driving force in drug discovery today.