We've translated early information from genetic research into potentially valuable medicines for HIV/AIDS, heart disease, and prevention of organ rejection, but these advances have only scratched the surface of possible revolutionary approaches to treat and cure diseases. Pfizer, the NIH and other public/private biomedical research interests have complementary missions greater than the sum of their parts. Our hope is that this public/private initiative will encourage a deeper collective understanding of the genetic factors of disease, for major new therapeutic advances. Martin Mackay