Differential Gene Expression: Understanding Gene Activity Across Conditions

Idowa Tiwao^1*, Oluymi Akinlo¹

¹Center for Genomics of Noncommunicable Diseases and Personalized Health Care, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author

Idowa Tiwao, Center for Genomics of Noncommunicable Diseases and Personalized Health Care, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria, E-mail: idowa@tiwao.edu.ng

Abstract

Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis is a fundamental method in genomics that allows researchers to identify genes whose expression levels vary significantly across different biological conditions, such as diseased vs. healthy states, treated vs. untreated samples, or developmental stages. With the advent of high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), DGE analysis has become more precise, scalable, and widely used across biomedical research. This article provides an overview of the principles, methodologies, applications, and challenges of DGE analysis, highlighting its critical role in understanding biological processes and disease mechanisms.