The human genome : the book of essential knowledge
2011
Book
The DNA sequence that comprises the human genome--the genetic blueprint found in each of our cells--is undoubtedly the greatest code ever to be broken. Completed at the dawn of a new millennium, the feat electrified both the scientific community and the general public with its tantalizing promise of new and better treatments for countless diseases, including Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson's. Yet what is arguably the most important discovery of our time has also opened a Pandora's box of questions about who we are as humans and how the unique information stored in our genomes can and might be used, making it all the more important for everyone to understand the new science of genomics. In the CURIOSITY GUIDE TO THE HUMAN GENOME, Dr. John Quackenbush, a renowned scientist and professor, conducts a fascinating tour of the history and science behind the Human Genome Project and the technologies that are revolutionizing the practice of medicine today. With a clear and engaging narrative style, he demystifies the fundamental principles of genetics and molecular biology, including the astounding ways in which genes function, alone or together with other genes and the environment, to either sustain life or trigger disease. In addition, Dr. Quackenbush goes beyond medicine to examine how DNA-sequencing technology is changing how we think of ourselves as a species by providing new insights about our earliest ancestors and reconfirming our inextricable link to all life on earth. Finally, he explores the legal and ethical questions surrounding such controversial topics as stem cell research, prenatal testing, forensics, and cloning, making this volume of the Curiosity Guides series an indispensable resource for navigating our brave new genomic world. -- Publisher description
Item Details
ISBN: 9781936140152
Description: 189 pages : illustrations ; 19 cm.
Other Title: Curiosity guide to the human genome
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
- Introduction: A race to the future. A brief history of the genome project ; About the map
- Back to basics. Mendel's garden : setting the stage ; Darwin's natural selection ; Cells : a hidden universe ; DNAn : the molecule of heredity ; The central dogma of molecular biology ; Gene mapping and sequencing before the HGP
- Of mice and men, and other creatures. Bacteria ; Brewer's yeast ; Roundworm ; Fruit fly ; Human ; A genome grab bag
- Reading the book of life. Take a look at yourself ; What's in a number ; Linking genes to traits and functions ; Mutation : in the eye of the beholder? ; Population genomics: something for everyone ; Gene regulation and expression
- Genomics applied : tackling cancer. What is cancer? ; Linking genes and cancer ; Surveying gene expression ; Using microarrays in cancer study ; One cancer, many diseases ; Toward personalized cancer care ; Cancer viruses and vaccines ; The future of cancer therapy
- Genes and the roots of disease. Beyond Mendel : modern genetics
- Huntington's disease : an autosomal dominant disease ; Cystic fibrosis : an autosomal recessive disease ; Diabetes : a polygenic, multifactorial disease ; Genes, environment, or both? ; Personalized medicine ; Systems biology : more than the sum of our parts
- The genomics of evolution. Evolution's notebook ; Out of Africa : genomic diversity ; Y chromosomal Adam ; Mitochondrial Eve ; Neanderthals : our lost cousins ; Are we the third chimpanzee?
- A brave new genomic world. Forensic genomics ; Genomes 'r' us ; Learning from Watson's genome ; Stem cells ; A word about cloning ; Prenatal genetic testing and gene therapy ; Legal and ethical concerns ; Our genomic future.
LCCN: 2010001395
Control Number: 3213814
Publisher: Watertown, Mass. : Imagine, [2011]Series:
Subjects: