Comparative and Functional Genomics is a new journal in print and electronic formats which contains original research articles and long and short reviews that deal with the post-sequencing phases of genome analysis. The journal will provide a broad forum covering studies of complex and model organisms . Research exploiting model organisms with fully sequenced genomes to understand gene function in more complex organisms will also fall under the remit of this journal. Papers presenting bioinformatic and computational tools for the study of gene and genome organisation will also be welcomed and the electronic format of the journal will enable the presentation of the large data sets commonly involved in these studies. Comparative and Functional Genomics will also accept articles covering the application of functional genomics in an industrial context such as pharmacogenomics and genomics-based drug target identification methods. All aspects of the systematic analysis of gene function are within the scope of the journal but novel methods will only be published separately when they are of proven efficacy and/or general applicability.