Book Description

The 5th Edition of this comprehensive title continues the tradition of delivering an accessible, engaging, and current introduction to this essential subject. The authors describe the principles of basic and applied immunology in a concise, straightforward manner, while incorporating the most up-to-date information. Over 400 illustrations help readers quickly and easily grasp key concepts. The entire text has been revised and includes new information about the organization of lymphoid organs and the mechanisms of innate immunity. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent Intro to the subject
For the advanced reader, I like Janeway's text better because of the depth of information presented, but for an introductory class, Abbas is more accessable and understandable in the introductory chapters. I recommend using them in tandem, I do! The figures are good, but interestingly enough, the illustrations in all the major texts on immunology are largely the same! If you need a CD with illustrations (you are an instructor or want to use them for a presentation etc) I recommend the CD accompanying Peter Parham's text book.

Excellent intro, the way a textbook should be
My only immunology background was in medical school in the early 80s. I bought this book to try to get a basic grasp on what immunology is about now, 20 years later. This book is excellent for that. As other reviewers have commented, the material is well organized and illustrated. The illustrations are numerous enough and detailed enough to almost form an outline in their own right.
While there is considerable repetition, I consider that this is one of the best features of the book for a newcomer such as I. The repetition is clearly very intentional, not the result of disorganization or sloppy editing. Rather it enough to let the reader grasp both the forest and the trees. It also lets you, to some extent, read from any section of the book without being totally lost if you don't remember the previous material.

Primer on the subject
The title of the book says it all: this book treats the expertise of immunology at the cellular and molecular level. It approaches the subject through a collection of explanations of experimental observations. Neither am I a physician nor a medical student, I find this book very comprehensible and helpful in explaining the principles of molecular biology/biochemistry [along with my expertise in chemistry] pertinent to the HIV virus. The book is abound with illustrations and pictorials though the authors at times drag on repeating concepts. The section on effector mechanisms of the immune responses is done in excellent gory details. Tons of illustrations, graphics making understanding of biochemical and immunological mechanisms a less strenuous task. For example, the HIV virus, the book will cover the abnormal events that occur at the first contact of the HIV virus. Then it talks about the virus mechanisms and the effect on the immune response. This 5th edition has been revised and now includes new info and materials about the lymphoid organs and innate immunity mechanism. I recommend it to medical students, pre-meds, and all health care professionals. 4.0 stars.

Pretty good reading...somewhat repetitive
I first read an earlier edition of the book in 1993, during my first graduate level Biology class, under the same title as the book. Since then, some important strides have been made in the field of Immunology, and the book has grown about 50% thicker. However, many themes are repeated too often in the book. 1/2 of a sentence is OK to stress repetition in learning concepts, but often they repeat entire paragraphs 4 or 5 times to strike home a point. If they were to get rid of all those redundant paragraphs, the book would be leaner and meaner and less boring to read. One of the most interesting concepts in the book deals with the Th1/Th2 immune switch, which occurs in allergic patients. The authors classically define this switch simply as going from microbial immunity to allergen immunity. But in my opinion, Th1 to Th2 switches do much more than that. They can affect whether an allergic person is more or less immune to microbes, whether they are differentially immune (ex. more immune to viruses, less to bacteria), and also may significantly affect the person's behavior. Behavior, you ask? What does the immune system have to do with behavior? A lot! Histamine is released during the Th1 to Th2 switch, and Histamine is a neurotransmitter. Also, Serotonin is usually released along with Histamine, and you should know that Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter. The immune system affects the central nervous system much more than many researchers understand. For a more elaborate review of this phenomenon, you can read the book The Failures of American Medicine.

Abbas got me past my qualifying exams in immuno grad sch...
Target audience: Any undergrad or grad student in life sciences. Little background needed beyond the basics of genetics, what is a cell etc. A bit too much for the typical MD course; try Abbas's Basic Immuno. It is a reference for basic immuno concepts, not a reference for every last detail in modern immunology (for that try Paul's Immuno).

What Abbas does: After reading this book (or at least skimming the pictures) you will be able to read the abstracts for immuno journals; you'll be able to say "I vaguely understand why the heck this journal article is important/furthers knowledge of immunology".

Pros: The most up-to-date (more recent than Janeway). A proven favorite of grad students. The pictures are easy-to-follow and demostrate all the main points. In fact, it may be better not to read much of the detail filled text, if you just want general knowledge. Little text boxes that highlight a technique, a historical development (e.g. how they cloned T Cell receptor). Nice section in the back on common lab techniques. Nice chapters on clinical correlates (human disease).

Cons: It is not comprehensive (like Paul's Immunology) nor is it meant to be comprehensive. The signal transduction is hopelessly out of date (all textbooks will fall behind rapid developments in sig transduction).

Geeky immuno nit-picking: Some controversial topics are presented as gospel (for example, anergy and the 2-signal hypothesis, which has not been convincingly demonstrated in vivo "natural system"; if you don't know what i'm talking about, don't worry about it). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excelent
Great book. Well organized, compact, easy to read. If you've got no time to lose, this is your book! I read it and learnt it in one day!

When you can't afford time?
When you are short of time and still want to score good in step 1 immunology, then go for this book. I bet you won't repent. ... Read more

Book Description

The Sixth Edition of Roitt's IMMUNOLOGY brings this classic textbook up to date. 250 top quality photographs and over 400 color illustrations bring immunology to life. Case Studies have been added placing immunology in a clinical context. Expanded Critical Thinking with detailed feedback test understanding and provide a useful revision tool. Part of an unsurpassed coordinated learning package. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Roitt's Essential Immunology is better than Immunology by Iv
My college professor raved about Roitt, Brostoff, and Male's "Immunology" (the fifth edition) but as a student I found the book very technical and difficult to understand. I was in the library the other day and picked up "Roitt's Essential Immunology" because I recognized the author (a different book by the same author). "Essential Immunology" is much easier to read and understand than "Immunology". I highly recommend Roitt's Essential Immunology instead of this book.

Do not touch this book!
The text is confusing, very baddly structured and hard to read. Because of the many different authors, the text is not concise. The diagrams and tables are often unprecise, leaving you with even more questions instead of answers. The book is a absolutely not the wright choice for learning immunology. For that I recomend Alberts: MBOC (immunology chapters) and Abbas 5th ed., which are much better books.

GOOD BOOK
I READ THIS EDITION IN CHINA PUBLISHED...

DO YOU THINK STUDY IMMUNOLOGY?

GOOD CHOICE THIS BOOK...

Immunology by Ivan Roitt - Still the best!
I used an earlier edition of this text to study for Pathology board examinations (with the American College of Veterinary Pathology), and found it readily understandable (for someone with a veterinary degree and Master's degree in pathology) and well-laid out. I was so pleased that I purchased this recently for an associate starting a Ph.D. The text has chapters covering general immunology, evolution of the immune system, species differences, and essentials for understanding most aspects of immunology, from cytokines to cells to roles in infectious disease and cancer. The new edition incorporates recent information while retaining the basic flow. Altogether, this is still the best text on the subject that I have seen!

Great introduction-level immunology textbook
While it may be argued that "Roitt" does not cover all areas of modern immunological research equally well, this book makes an great first textbook to get to know the general topics. Many color diagrams offer the necessary visual overviews of all the cell-cell/molecule-molecule interactions inherent to the topic. Professionals and researchers should be aware of the limits of this book; to all others it makes a wonderful learning aid. I haven't found another introductory book quite as good as this one. Teachers should be aware of the accompanying slides (and CD-ROMS), making the link to the textbook visually obvious for students. ... Read more

Book Description

Essential Immunology is the best of the immunology primers. It clearly outdistances other textbooks in this area by its scope, its organization, its clarity, and its ability to convey a carefully balanced and up-to-date view of immunology. The medical student who first comes on the mysteries of immunology here, as well as the seasoned immunologist, will find it an adventure and joy to read.

End-of-chapter summaries help review learned material

Chapter begin with a summary of what's to come for easy navigation

Contains a detailed glossary of terms and abbreviations ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THE CHOICE OF MANY DISCERNING LEARNERS
The inclusion of all the latest abstruse developments in the field of immunology was part of a concerted effort to make this latest edition of "Roitt's Essential Immunology" standout in the crowd. It is an elaborate text whose popularity attests to its high quality.
Good enough, the traditional use of simple descriptions were retained in this new edition, while additional efforts were made in order to simplify most of the complex issues associated with immunochemistry and immunopathology. This textbook is a one-volume knowledge base whose accurate differentials are largely due to extensive facts validations.

Roitts is the definitive Immunology text for Medical Student
As a pre-clinical medical student, I was initially apprehensive when I came into contact with this book. Immunology is a subject I know little about, and the topic can seem more than a little daunting at times. Ivan Roitt's superb text soon revealed to me that my worries were unfounded. His guide through immunology is comprehensive and a pleasure to read. The content is both factual and humourous, written in the style of a caring lecturer rather than a boring expert (as with most medical texts). I cannot thank him enough for his fantastic book and hope he soon writes other texts on medical subjects (biochemistry needs a facelift, I think!!) for students to understand and enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

This undergraduate, upper-division text focuses on the biology of human parasites, and bridges the gap between classic clinical parasitology texts and more traditional encyclopedic treatises. Human Parasitology, Second Edition introduces various parasites and how they interact with their hosts and respond to new treatments. It presents symptomatic treatments of important parasitic organisms. The book also includes appendices dealing with various drugs and their efficacy with respect to treatment.
This thoroughly updated edition contains a new chapter on opportunistic parasites that effect AIDS patients, and provides new research into emerging parasites such as Crytosporidium and Cyclopspora. The Second Edition includes more electronmicrographs, better life cycle figures, and thoroughly revised citations.

* Thoroughly revised, updated, and illustrated
* New chapter on opportunistic parasites that afflict immuno-compromised (AIDS) patients
* Additional coverage on Crytosporidium and Cyclopspora
* Updated and revised chemotherapeutic regimens ... Read more

Reviews (1)

CONCISE; WITH A WIDE PARASITOLOGY SCOPE
This "Human Parasitology" text provides a balanced introductory view, as it concerned the interactive association between various parasites and their hosts. Its concise and reader-friendly format is a big plus: as it ensured that anyone who reads it will understand the message.
This book is clinically relevant. Its carefully selected contents were designed in such a way that will appeal to students of Zoology, Medicine, Veterinary medicine, Microbiology, Medical laboratory science, and Agriculture.
Discussed in details are various intestinal parasites like: Nematodes, Cestodes, and Trematodes. It also took care of many pathogenic protozoa like: Plasmodium and Entamoeba species. And, there are well-written chapters, which thoroughly analyzed both the Laboratory Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases and the capabilities of various Antiparasitic Agents. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Great Textbook
This is a great book! The method at which the material is presented rivals that of medical textbooks. The graphics and illustration are great! Go UC Irvine! Spcial Events Parking Rocks!

A good investment for any microbiology student.
The information presented in this book was very helpful in my understanding of virology. The text was very easily followed and subjects presented in a straightforward manner. Basic Virology is a must have! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

Solving The Mind-Body Conundrum
I am a writer who is currently at work on a book on my living through colon cancer. I was diagnosed at age 47 with Duke's C-3 colon cancer. Because of the early onset of my disease, I was three years too young to be considered for routine colon cancer screening, which doctors are supposed to offer to patients when they reach age 50. I was lucky. Even with one year of chemotherapy (due to minor lymph node involvement) medical textbooks and doctors said my chances of surviving five years (a five year colon cancer survivor is considered "cured") were about 35 percent. Now, seven years later, I can say that Esther Sternberg's work validates some key elements of the survival strategy I developed for myself that links health and wellness and emotions.

Sternberg flies in the face of conventional medical wisdom by providing proof that stress can make you sick. She provides evidence that the immune system can be trained, citing the work of Bob Ader and Nick Cohen. And she offers evidence that nerve chemicals or hormones can affect immune-cell function in a physiological way.

This is ironic considering that when you ask a psychiatrist or even a psychopharmachologist how the latest generation of SSRI anti-depression/anti-anxiety drugs (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa etc.) work, the answer is that they are not exactly sure.

The medical establishment in the US tends to hive off the debate about health and emotions (the mind-body connection) to the area of alternative medicine. New age healing and some of the Eastern approaches tend to overlook the scientific connection. Sternberg taps history and science to frame the issue and if it were simpled down to the level of a mass market audience her book would be a best seller.

Through the Eyes of a Sensitive Human Being
Brilliant scientific exploration of the mind-body connection expressed in compelling, animated realism. I enjoyed this delightful learning experience. Dr. Sternberg not only demonstrates outstanding knowledge and expertise in the field of psychoneuroimmonology, but she does so through the eyes of a sensitive, caring human being. A true inspiration to read many times over. Especially recommended for anyone who is looking for a way to enhance their health and well-being....

Bold and Daring, Advanced Knowledge!
Dr. Esther Sternberg from the outset tells us that she wrote this book "out of a question" that "seemed ostracized from the rest of the scientific community." Clearly, it seems that the information in "The Body Within" is a daring challenge to present new brain-immune connection information to the lay public, and is determined to not let it stagnate only among the doctoral elite. I found all 11 chapters fascinating and richly detailed, gloriously free of slanted opinions and filled with highly intelligent questions. All 250 pages inform, with its interesting anecdotes and illustrations, and my gratitude goes out to Dr. Sternberg for ensuring that some of us, even though we do not have a "Ph.D" attached to our name, are nonetheless able to grasp concepts as the workings of the brain, the immune system and the role of various hormones and neurotransmitters.

"The Balance Within" is solidly founded in irrefutable facts "collected from rigorously performed experiments." It is a real treat to read about such things as Chapter 5, "It's a Two-Way Street: The Immune System Talks to the Brain and the Brain Talks Back" and Chapters 6 and 7, "When the Brain-Immune Communication Breaks Down" and "Can Stress Make you Sick?" I could easily spoil the conclusions of this book, which I dare not out of pure respect for Dr. Sternberg, especially when she so adeptly investigates such ideas as "Can Believing Make You Well?" Gradually the walls between the public and the scientific community are crumbling down, allowing us to make up our own minds and deciding what is right for our own bodies. This book is groundbreaking, indispensable and should not be out of your hands for another second. You may encounter resistance at first, as the author put it, "Whenever a new field comes into being, it comes up against the older dogmas. So the resistance that we felt was real and steeped in traditions going as far back as Galileo, Copernicus, and beyond...Whenever one tries to change prevailing opinion, resistance is inevitable..." Esther, I want to party with you, sister. A little less I talk, a little more I listen. I'm taking a page from your book!

Reviews the science connecting health and emotions
The Balance Within reviews the science connecting health and emotions, providing a history which explains these connections and shows how the body and brain work together. There are links between the immune system and emotions: this shows how health can be affected.

As inspiring as it is illuminating
I'm an academic bioscientist but not trained in the immune system. I have always been interested in the brain-immune connection (for personal as well as professional reasons), and I have always appreciated getting the history of a scientific field's evolution -- something that we find less and less time to discuss in the college classroom, much to the detriment of the next generation of scientists. I am a huge fan of this book and this year I am incorporating it into my university courses and seminars. I've recommended it highly to colleagues who also find it valuable. It's fun to read and contains fascinating historical notes about medical science in general. Sternberg discusses how the work of many people contributed bits and pieces to an important emerging story. It gave me what felt like an eyewitness perspective on the birth of neuroimmunology, as well as a fountain of information about the brain-immune connection. It is a must-read for anyone wondering how science comes up with "breakthroughs", as well as anyone interested in the topic. Thank you, Dr. Sternberg and colleagues in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

Extensively revised and updated throughout, with seven entirelynew chapters and the insights of 31 new contributors, the Third Editionreflects the explosive growth of information in the dynamic field ofimmunology. Coverage includes recent groundbreaking discoveries onmolecular events that regulate the immune response, antigen processingand presentation, cytokines, and immune responses to infectiousagents.Six chapters in the Third Edition focus on completely newtopics--immunoglobulin class switching; somatic mutation and affinitymaturation; immunosuppression; and immunity to viruses, intracellularbacteria, and extracellular bacteria. Antigen processing andpresentation, which were only touched on in the previous edition, arenow described in detail in a separate chapter. Coverage of the role ofspecific cytokines in the immune response has been greatly expanded.Chapters on HIV infection, primary immunodeficiency diseases, allergyand hypersensitivity, and immunoparasitology have been rewritten by newcontributors who are preeminent authorities on these diseases. Allchapters include updated references. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

excellent
the next best thing to actually following the literature. a great way to get a background in a less familiar topic.

Fundamental, not necessarily introductory
This book is in many rspects the Immunology equivalent of the G&G pharmacology bible. Or in other words: if you do Immunology for a living, this book should always be within reach. Just like G&G's book, Fundamental Immunology started out in the same way the "encyclopedia" started in the Age of Enlightment: a compendium of all the knowledge available. With the exponential expansion of both Pharmacology and Immunology, these disciplines no longer fit in one, ten, or even a hundred volumes each, and tough choices have to be made. In Paul's FI, these choices are very much geared towards the professional, and far less so to the student. Yet, many of the subjects are treated in a way that not only incorperates much of the up to date details, but also gives thorough treatment of the fundamental concepts behind them. Thus, this book should also be the text of choice for those students that have sufficient tutoring resources available to guide them through the maze of the wild and wonderful world of Immunology.

It can be used as a dictionary.
It is not recommended as a text book, but is as a dictionary. Because it contains many informations about immunology and few illastlations.

Not the best book on the subject
Overly complex in exposition. Insufficiently illustrated. Represents an NIH viewpoint, not the best in science. Does not relate the molecular details to the cellular interactions sufficiently. ... Read more

Book Description

This important text, thoroughly updated and rewritten, continues to offer a unique overview of the field of HIV pathogenesis.Since the first successful edition in 1994, substantial advances have been made in many aspects of HIV and AIDS research, including the fields of epidemiology and transmission, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and HIV-associated cancers.Comprehensive, lucid, and extensively annotated, this book presents the most current knowledge on the many aspects of HIV infection and control.The reference section, greatly expanded, is the most definitive presentation of HIV/AIDS literature available.Brief biographies spotlight scientists and physicians who played a pioneering role in AIDS research and medicine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

HIV and the pathogenesis of AIDS
This is really excellent book about HIV. It is easy to understand but contains nearly all advanced recent topics including history, immunology and pathogenesis of HIV. Especially for the students who study HIV, this is the best reference for general and specific knowledge. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Book
This book was very well written. As a person with APS there isn't much information on the disease out there. I even got my doctor to read the book!

Nothing short of excellent!
Not long ago, my wife was diagnosed with "possible MS." The symptoms were there, and my wife and I prepared for life with this new situation. However, recently, this diagnosis has been overturned in favor of "antiphospholipid syndrome" or Hughes Syndrome. This condition is characterized by the sufferer's blood clotting too easily, resulting in a number of symptoms, many of them quite serious.

In this wonderful book, Dr. Graham Hughes of St. Thomas' Hospital, London (and the man for whom this syndrome is named) gives the lay-reader and doctor alike a clear and concise understanding of what this syndrome is, what its effects are, and what treatments are currently available. Though quite short (63 pages), it is jam-packed with easy-to-read information, which is well organized, and complete with some excellent illustrations and many case studies. The case studies go a long way towards giving the reader a clear idea of what having Hughes Syndrome means to those suffering from it.

My wife and I are very glad we got this book. It is truly nothing short of excellent. Plus (as previously pointed out), its price is quite modest compared to the other Hughes Syndrome books currently available. If you or anyone you knows has been diagnosed as having Hughes Syndrome, then I highly recommend that you purchase this book!

Excellent Book!
As a patient who's been diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome since 1994, also known at Hughes Syndrome, I found this to be the ONLY book written for patients and their families on this subject. The price, compared to the other books on this disease, which are doctor focused, is fantastic.

In an easy to read style, Dr. Hughes describes this auto-immune disease completely. This is a great book for both patients and their families. I recommend this highly. ... Read more

Book Description

Histochemistry deals with the activities of chemical components in cells, and immunohistochemistry addresses the function of cell types in tissue or organs, such as those leading to acceptance or rejection of grafts or organs. This book will be a methods volume focusing on antigen retrieval, particularly methods used in disease-related antigens. Because the book is a methods volume and a lab manual, it will have an audience of pathologists, biochemists, and lab technicians. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A brilliantly explained text
A brilliantly explained text containing extremely good applications, and above all, clear and well-referenced recipes. Most pitfalls in microscopy are the result of not following optimal processing conditions. After reading Dr. Hayat's present publication, there is no excuse for not following well-tested reliable protocols.

This Handbook is the most authoritative publication in the disciplines of microscopy, immunohistochemistry and antigen retrieval methods. It is expected to become a classic in teaching and research. This book should not be absent in your personal collection, as well at the library.

- Taken from a review by Prof. Dr. E. Marani, Afdeling Fysiologie, Leiden, The Netherlands. ... Read more

Book Description

Stephen P Robinson, MD, PhD, and Andrew Satgg, PhD, have brought together a wide range of time-proven methods for studying these dendritic cells. Many of these readily reproducible techniques deal with the problem of obtaining sufficient dendritic cells for analysis, whether by isolation from a wide vareity of tissues, or from various progenitor cell populations. Other methods describe in step-by-step fashion the techniques commonly used for analyzing aspects of dendritic cells, ranging from cell migration to antigen uptake and T cell stimulation. In addition, a few techniques explore the practical challenges involved in using dendritic cells in a clinical setting to develop novel immunotherapeueutics. ... Read more

Book Description

Autoimmune diseases -- including chronic fatigue syndrome, vasculitis, juvenile diabetes, alopecia, Graves' disease, Sjögren's syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis -- are among the hottest topics in the medical community. Although these diseases express themselves in different ways, in all of them, the body's immune system begins to attack normally functioning, healthy cells. Despite the recent surge in interest and research, these fascinating diseases are highly mysterious, frequently misdiagnosed, and controversial in cause and treatment. They are often interconnected in ways that are both misunderstood and life-threatening. And one of the biggest puzzles is why 80 percent of autoimmune disease sufferers are women.

In this authoritative yet thoroughly approachable guide, world-class immunologist Dr. Robert Lahita brings to bear his years of intensive research, patient care, and diagnostic acumen to shed light on the mysteries of these conditions, with a particular focus on how they affect -- and how he treats -- women.

One of the world's foremost authorities on the subject, Dr. Lahita strikes a refreshing balance between medical explanation and readability. Through the use of case studies, he describes the early warning signs (including minor triggers such as headaches, nausea, or exhaustion), symptoms, diagnostic processes, and the latest and most innovative treatments for the familiar -- as well as many of the lesser known -- autoimmune diseases. This scientifically sound, grounded, thorough, and sensitive work will be greeted with appreciation by anyone who wants to better understand these perplexing and often debilitating diseases.

Book Description

Anyone with a risk of occupational exposure to communicable disease, from doctors, EMTs and nurses to police officers, shelter workers and tattoo artists, needs the information found in "Basic Infection Control for the Health Care Profession." This comprehensive guide examines how the history of modern infection control relates to current practices and presents specific, practical strategies for guarding against disease. Cover the latest OSHA and CDC standards and guidelines on bloodborne and airborne disease prevention and meets the revised Department of Transportation EMT curriculum requirements at the basic, intermediate and paramedic levels. Written in a manner that is accessible to those outside of the medical profession. · Real life case studies reinforce main topics · "Worth Thinking About" questions for personal reflection on material · Review questions offer an opportunity for self-evaluation · Glossary of over 200 terms gives definitions and directs users to location of key word in text · Instructor's manual available ... Read more

Book Description

Applied Antisense Oligonucleotide Technology provides the basic concepts as well as the practical concerns associated with the use of antisense oligonucleotides to modify gene expression. Chapters include oligonucleotide chemistry, DNA triplex formation, delivery mechanisms, pharmocokinetics, toxicity, oligonucleotides. ... Read more

Book Description

As HIV continues its death march around the globe, now infecting40 million people, an AIDS vaccine still remains an elusive goal. When scientists first proved in 1984 that HIV causes AIDS, a vaccine race quickly spun into action with high hopes that the world would soon have a means to stop this modern plague. But today the race to develop an AIDS vaccine more closely resembles a crawl. Jon Cohen, a leading AIDS reporter, tells how the forces inside and outside the world of science have hindered the AIDS vaccine search. He reveals the complicated obstacles that stymie researchers, the uncertain marketplace that confronts pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, the haphazard political response, and the ethical dilemmas that give pause to everyone involved. He goes behind the scenes at academic labs, companies, government agencies, scientific meetings, and investment houses to document how promising leads go nowhere as scientists jump from one fashionable idea to the next. Beyond a critique of the current methods and strategies, this book also offers specific recommendations for accelerating AIDS vaccine research. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An excellent, readable overview of vaccine research
Jon Cohen is probably the most knowledgable journalist on the topic of HIV vaccines and has been following developments in this area for over a decade. He's had unparalleled access to people working in the field and it shows in this well organized history of the search for an HIV vaccine. I used to work in this area of research and, although there are issues where I have quibbled with the author, I can think of no better introduction to the field and the key issues that have shaped it. Cohen has been uniquely able to maintain the trust and respect of key people working in the field, while also raising important social and scientific issues. The result is a thoughtful, relatively thorough chronology that is also readable and concise. At a more personal level, the book brought back many forgotten controversies and issues that formed the background for almost a decade of my own work. The writing is that vivid, while also maintaining a high standard of scientific journalism.

They themselves are the experiment
Buy this book, read it, and pass it on to a friend. In short, make it infections, as it is one of the best hopes for 'enlightened' men to capture the future.

This is a massive journalistic endeavor for a single man to mount, set against the hurdles of the decidedly clubby world of big-money medicine and ten-plus years of the Byzantine complexities of many different scientific disciplines, not one. Its factual, story-to-tell approach, is a breath of fresh air in a miasma of empty government panel reports, obtuse scientific ramblings, sensationalist hardcopy, and necessarily overstated activist rancor. For those who take time with it, it works its way, not "into your face", but slowly into your heart.

For the less passionate, however, it is not clear, that this book, stoutly rendered by Cohen and W.W.Norton, carries its burden of proof, in all cases. Where are the numbers? We read that vaccine research persistently remained at 10% of the overall NAIAD budget, but, W.W., a data table would have been nice. The same with the grant evaluation-success rates and total project funding(s), and other small things here and there. But these points hardly sacrifice the whole. The broader picture and point to be made is overwhelmingly clear: Physician, help thyself! Alternatively, one might call it, "When bad things happen to really, really smart people."

This realization builds from page to page with almost every conflict and with almost every story of pursuit recounted. **The "endless frontier" of medicine-man-directed-science has not been expansive enough to include the basic, fundamental lessons of process science, risk bearing and decision making under uncertainty, strategic planning, and public relations.** It is no accident that Jonas Salk's last recounted wish is for "better ways", and the attentive reader will find similar hints or cries for help from other scientists as well.

Since 1981, it is a time for *war*, man against microbe. These scientists seem to miss the lessons of the *harsh*, *daily* reality that THEY AND THEIR ETHOS *ARE* THE EXPERIMENT!

This is true, notwithstanding, of course, of the great "Nobel prize experiment", that perniciously hangs like a collaboration-distracting "mirror, mirror" amid the lab-rats. At other times, the profession also seems oddly self-aware, as the paucity of those interested in putting themselves in harm's way of such a dashing "experiment" is laid bare, for example, while the directorship for the new NIH Vaccine Center goes unwanted.

Now, in 2001, the field seems blood red and who will say which fault belongs to whom? Who could fault the NIH, who, after all, have only the power to subsidize? Who could fault the politicians, who thought the scientists had it "under control (at least contained, ahem!) and adequately funded"? Who could continue to fault the system, when incremental changes have been made? Finally, what Prince will come at the end to say, "And I, for winking at your discords too, have lost a brace of kinsman?"

Yet the notion that Cohen suggests, that, after twenty years, "the world is watching", does nothing but turn up the heat on a pot with the same ingredients. One cannot look into Dr. Fauci's or Dr. Baltimore's eyes, for instance, and think that these researchers, these captains, are utterly bankrupt, immoral egoists or that they have deaf ears, deaf ears to the 60 million that may die one of the most miserable deaths possible, surrender (insofar as the human mind could even comprehend the magnitude of such a loss).

To be fair - and hopeful -, the medical profession, has let itself open to study and critique, far, far more than others. Yet, more chanticleer cries will repeat the past, for what may be needed now are truly better ways, diversity of thought, competence in management, and sufficiency in funding - the hard work, not the low-hanging fruit; settling in for the long-run; in short, the next 20 years.

The Buddhists believe that a single man can change the world. This reviewer hopes that others who read this book also have vigor enough to take a trumpet to Washington, not to wake anyone up, but like Joseph on the way to Jericho, truly a March of D-times.

Search for an AIDS vaccine
Jon Cohen has written an absolutely masterful history of the search for an Aids vaccine. His book poses all the right questions. He explores all the political and scientific issues that have affected this long journey to a vaccine. His research is exhaustive and the book is well documented. It reads as the very best kind of scientific adventure tale. It is the best account that I have read about this disease and the people who have tried to unravel its mysteries. ... Read more