“Master of the medical thriller.”—The New York Times In his most prophetic thriller yet, Robin Cook goes behind the headlines on cloning and genetic manipulation, blending fact with fiction in this terrifying bestseller. In the jungles of equatorial Africa, a biotechnology giant has taken transplant surgery and animal research to a new level—where one mistake could bridge the evolutionary gap between man and ape and forever change the genetic map of our existence. Meanwhile, in New York City, Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery are working on a seemingly unrelated murder of a mobster, only to find some very odd things once their victim is on the autopsy table...
“Master of the medical thriller.”—The New York Times In his most prophetic thriller yet, Robin Cook goes behind the headlines on cloning and genetic manipulation, blending fact with fiction in this terrifying bestseller. In the jungles of equatorial Africa, a biotechnology giant has taken transplant surgery and animal research to a new level—where one mistake could bridge the evolutionary gap between man and ape and forever change the genetic map of our existence. Meanwhile, in New York City, Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery are working on a seemingly unrelated murder of a mobster, only to find some very odd things once their victim is on the autopsy table...
With Robin Cook's signature cutting-edge suspense, Chromosome 6 combines the fast action of a nerve-jangling thriller with the medical possibilities of the all-too-near future. When notorious underworld leader Carlo Franconi is gunned down, his Mafioso competitors become prime suspects. Suspicions are fuelled when Franconi’s body disappears from the city morgue before it can be autopsied – much to the embarrassment of the authorities, but to the amusement of forensic pathologist Dr Jack Stapleton. A few days later, the mutilated, unidentifiable body of a ‘floater’ arrives on the autopsy table and Jack himself becomes disturbed by the case. While unidentified bodies routinely make their way to the medical examiner’s office, what rouses Jack’s curiosity is not so much that the body is missing it head, hands and feet – but also its liver. Aided by his colleague Dr Laurie Montgomery, he identifies the corpse as the missing mobster. But who actually killed Carlo Franconi? And was the killer also responsible for the theft of the corpse and its grisly disfigurement? Their search for the truth leads them to the steamy jungles of equatorial Africa, where they discover a sinister cabal whose activities include surgical procedures a step beyond the latest in current technology – and a leap beyond accepted medical ethic. Enjoy more medical mystery thrillers with Contagion, Vector, and Pandemic.
There is growing enthusiasm in the scientific community about the prospect of mapping and sequencing the human genome, a monumental project that will have far-reaching consequences for medicine, biology, technology, and other fields. But how will such an effort be organized and funded? How will we develop the new technologies that are needed? What new legal, social, and ethical questions will be raised? Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome is a blueprint for this proposed project. The authors offer a highly readable explanation of the technical aspects of genetic mapping and sequencing, and they recommend specific interim and long-range research goals, organizational strategies, and funding levels. They also outline some of the legal and social questions that might arise and urge their early consideration by policymakers.
Medicinal Plants, Volume 6 of the Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement series summarizes landmark research and describes medicinal plants as nature's pharmacy. HighlightsExamines the use of molecular technology for maintaining authenticity and quality of plant-based productsDetails reports on individual medicinal plants i
“Ridley leaps from chromosome to chromosome in a handy summation of our ever increasing understanding of the roles that genes play in disease, behavior, sexual differences, and even intelligence. . . . . He addresses not only the ethical quandaries faced by contemporary scientists but the reductionist danger in equating inheritability with inevitability.” — The New Yorker The genome's been mapped. But what does it mean? Matt Ridley’s Genome is the book that explains it all: what it is, how it works, and what it portends for the future Arguably the most significant scientific discovery of the new century, the mapping of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome raises almost as many questions as it answers. Questions that will profoundly impact the way we think about disease, about longevity, and about free will. Questions that will affect the rest of your life. Genome offers extraordinary insight into the ramifications of this incredible breakthrough. By picking one newly discovered gene from each pair of chromosomes and telling its story, Matt Ridley recounts the history of our species and its ancestors from the dawn of life to the brink of future medicine. From Huntington's disease to cancer, from the applications of gene therapy to the horrors of eugenics, Ridley probes the scientific, philosophical, and moral issues arising as a result of the mapping of the genome. It will help you understand what this scientific milestone means for you, for your children, and for humankind.
This publication extends the now classic system of human cytogenetic nomenclature prepared by an expert committee and published in collaboration with Cytogenetic and Genome Research' since 1963. Revised and finalized by the ISCN Committee and its advisors at a meeting in Seattle, Wash., in April 2012, the ISCN 2013 updates, revises and incorporates all previous human cytogenetic nomenclature recommendations into one systematically organized publication that supersedes all previous ISCN recommendations. There are several new features in ISCN 2013: an update of the microarray nomenclature, many more illustrative examples of uses of nomenclature in all sections some definitions including chromothripsis and duplication a new chapter for nomenclature that can be used for any region-specific assay. The ISCN 2013 is an indispensable reference volume for human cytogeneticists, technicians and students for the interpretation and communication of human cytogenetic nomenclature.
Black & white print. Concepts of Biology is designed for the typical introductory biology course for nonmajors, covering standard scope and sequence requirements. The text includes interesting applications and conveys the major themes of biology, with content that is meaningful and easy to understand. The book is designed to demonstrate biology concepts and to promote scientific literacy.
One of The Wall Street Journal’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year Philadelphia, 1959: A scientist scrutinizing a single human cell under a microscope detects a missing piece of DNA. That scientist, David Hungerford, had no way of knowing that he had stumbled upon the starting point of modern cancer research— the Philadelphia chromosome. It would take doctors and researchers around the world more than three decades to unravel the implications of this landmark discovery. In 1990, the Philadelphia chromosome was recognized as the sole cause of a deadly blood cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML. Cancer research would never be the same. Science journalist Jessica Wapner reconstructs more than forty years of crucial breakthroughs, clearly explains the science behind them, and pays tribute—with extensive original reporting, including more than thirty-five interviews—to the dozens of researchers, doctors, and patients with a direct role in this inspirational story. Their curiosity and determination would ultimately lead to a lifesaving treatment unlike anything before it. The Philadelphia Chromosome chronicles the remarkable change of fortune for the more than 70,000 people worldwide who are diagnosed with CML each year. It is a celebration of a rare triumph in the battle against cancer and a blueprint for future research, as doctors and scientists race to uncover and treat the genetic roots of a wide range of cancers.
