Crossing uncharted spaces can lead to unexpected discoveries. Just ask Columbus. Today, the new world that awaits is in neuroscience. Different kinds of brain maps, such as gene expression maps and functional MRI maps, may soon become integrated, prompting explorations that are as adventurous, in their own way, as sailing west to reach Asia used to be. And as new pathways become familiar, the pathological mechanisms behind neurological dysfunctions may be erased, much like sea dragons were removed from Renaissance maps. Other explorations discussed in this issue of GEN are no less exciting. For example, biomanufacturing, precision medicine, and multiomics are being remapped to reflect the rise of continuous processing, secure data exchange architectures, and proteomics, respectively. Also, this issue surveys the gene and cell therapy scene from the vantage point afforded by ASCGT 2021. Finally, this issue presents a glimpse over the biopharma horizon, where operational boundaries between sponsors and contractors are fading.