At first glance, it bears an uncanny resemblance to a piece of modern art. A grid of red, yellow, and green spots glows against a glassy black backdrop in an abstract composition no larger than a microscope slide. But in addition to having visual appeal, this stylish object possesses tremendous scientific value. Called a DNA microarray, it is a miniature laboratory on a chip. In a single experiment it can deliver a detailed snapshot of the thousands of genes and proteins interacting in an organism, whether bacterium or human.

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