If we can ignore the sorry state of public companies for a moment, let’s talk about the more encouraging news about private companies’ fundraising records in 2002. A review by Genome Technology’s online sister publication GenomeWeb.com found that pure-play genomic tool and technology companies reported raising about $102.7 million in private-equity cash since January, down only slightly from the $115 million that similar companies reported pocketing during the same eight-month period last year.