Molecular genetics in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Molecular genetics and genomics have become highly relevant tools in the field of pediatric critical care medicine. The most immediate examples involve the use of molecular genetics as routine diagnostic tests (eg, detection of herpes simplex virus by PCR). Perhaps the most exciting and promising examples involve the research efforts based in these fields, which hold the potential to gain novel insight regarding the complex mechanisms involved in critical illness. Ultimately, the generation of more comprehensive and fundamental knowledge can lead to the design of more effective and specific therapeutic strategies.