Book Description

Principles of Genetics, 7/e offers an up-to-date, balanced treatment of the major areas of genetics (classical, molecular, and population genetics) in a friendly writing style with excellent learning aids, making it easier for students to learn and succeed. ... Read more

Book Description

From the moment men first began to contemplate their world, three questions have occupied the human mind: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? Artists (notably Paul Gauguin), religious thinkers, philosophers and, most recently, scientists have all searched for answers. This book describes molecular evidence for human descent from the first single-celled organisms all the way to the emergence of Homo sapiens. After distinguishing myth from science, the authors introduce molecular evolution and the molecular approach to the study of human origins and draw conclusions about human identity.

Unique features of this book include:

* A concentration on information provided by molecules, first and foremost nucleic acids, unlike most books on evolution, which focus solely on testimony provided by archeology.* Clear explanations of difficult concepts, including mathematical formulas, thus allowing readers to understand without prior knowledge of the subject. * Over 120 detailed figures, illustrations and tables that enhance the text. * A glossary of terms that are highlighted in the text. * Sources for further reading and reference.

The authors describe how scientists decipher human origin from the record encrypted in the DNA and protein molecules, and point out the limitations of ancient DNA analysis. They deal with the concept of race from the point of view of what is now known about human variability, and distinguish between views colored by "political correctness" and views based on objective evaluation of the data. Finally, the book warns the reader that knowledge of man's place on the Tree of Life can change our philosophical and ethical perspective, and considers what the future of the human race may entail ... Read more

Reviews (2)

human evolution explanation at its best
This is simply the best book i've found on human evolution. The subtitle is "The Molecular Evidence for Human Descent", don't be put off if you don't have a degree in biochemistry. Unlike most other technical and scientifically sophisticated books, in this one, the author holds your hand. He does it very well, introducing binominal and poisson distribution analysis both in the text and in appendices, for example. You are aware of his careful setting up the pieces that you need in order to understand the take home message of each chapter, and you are grateful, even if you already know the material, for the 'nice' way he does it. I finished the book wishing he would rewrite many biology and engineering textbooks i have been subjected to over the years by authors who assumed if you didn't know exactly what you were reading, then you shouldn't have bought and tried to read his book in the first place. For this characteristic alone the book is deeply and joyfully to be praised.

I am aware of the divisive character of the debate on human origins, this book will not settle it. But it will be a book that can be recommended to bring your reasonable intelligent but somewhat scientifically ignorant friend up to speed on the issues from a unabashed secular scientific viewpoint. It will, i would hope, set a standard for introductory books in the field. For if it can get a hearing, and even become popular then other authors will be forced to help people understand their arguments by giving them the tools to analyze and understand their positions, not just assume them. Now this doesn't negate the need to do your homework in order to be a serious student in any field, many things will take lots of reading to get the basis for advanced arguments. Something that will never be done in one, or even a set of books. But as the authors prove a reasonable grasp of human evolutionary arguments from a biochemical/genetic point of view is not that sophisticated of a field to require volumes, just this one.

Lest i miss an important issue, i would like to state that the author, like most secular scientific people makes the mistake of drawing metaphysical conclusions from scientific data. This i belief to be the problem of scientism, the unjustified extension of method-science into metaphysics or religion. The authors would certainly disagree with me. In any case, their philosophic position is clearly stated, open and presented in a manner that is not belittling of a religious prespective. So even if you are a theist i believe that there is much to be gained from reading this book, don't let the scientism put you off.

thanks for reading this review, and please get the book, it is certainly a most important topic, whether you agree with evolutionary analysis or not, you must be informed.

richard williams

A splendid book
This is a super-ambitious, yet superbly-done account of life on earth from the first primitive creatures down to you and me. It's quite technical, but as lucid as possible. And the equations, diagrams, and tables are interspersed with fascinating asides, such as full explication of the the Gaugin masterpiece that provides the title and cover picture. It also offers in passing the most interesting interpretation of the Garden of Eden and the serpent's offer from Genesis that I've ever read. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the definitive edition of R.A. Fisher's classic work--probably the best known book in evolutionary biology after Darwin's Origin of Species. The book was the first attempt to assess and explain Darwin's evolutionary theories in terms of genetic evolution. Based on the original 1930 edition, the book incorporates the many changes Fisher made for the second edition as well as unpublished material taken from Fisher's own copy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Mathematics of Neo-Darwinism
I don't understand why I am the first reviewer of this book. I am not worthy, but I will try. R. A. Fisher was a mathematical genius that founded the modern treatments of statistics.

In this book he rescued Darwinism: the modern theory of Natural Selection was first derived in this book. It is a Classic on Evolution, more important than Darwin's. All ideas about selfish genes, etc. are contained implicitly in this book, published in 1930. It just took years to work out the implications in words.

It is a very mathematical book, so most modern "Darwinists" can't understand it. If you work in any field related to Evolution, you really should have this book on your shelves, if only to show off! ... Read more

Book Description

Genetics, the most rapidly advancing of the life sciences, has stimulated more diverse disciplines in the natural and social sciences than any other field. The fact that it has encouraged scientists of varied backgrounds-- anthropologists, chemists, computer specialists, engineers, mathematicians, paleontologists, physicians, and physicists--to contribute to its development is one reason for its prodigious growth. Such growth is accompanied by a proliferation in terminology, which creates a problem both to beginning students and scientists from other disciplines who read papers by geneticists. Various terms, especially in molecular and cell biology, are newly coined and thus not found in any collegiate or biology dictionaries; in some cases, the terms are unknown to students with little or no background in taxonomy. This fifth edition of the much-needed Dictionary of Genetics has been organized to provide a quick understanding to students and non-geneticists. It includes over 6,500 definitions of terms and species names relevant to the study of genetics. Also featured are a chronology that spans nearly 400 years of genetic study, as well as an extensive bibliography. The entries are for both strictly genetic terms and nongenetic terms that are often encountered in the literature. Thus the book is helpful not only to beginning geneticists, but anyone involved in life sciences. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a must for the biological graduate studentia
As a graduate student studying biochemistry/molecular biology, this book (on the PI's shelf) was a frequent read. Not only does it explain "old-school" genetic experiments with aplomb, it provides clear and concise examples. A fine reference for reviewing papers, and a must have for any PI (if only for your students to use as a reference!) ... Read more

Book Description

Emphasis on clustering of data of gene tissues
* Includes new research findings and activities in molecular biology
* Highlights the important general field of bioinformatics and genomics and discusses the impact of microarray analysis on both ... Read more

Book Description

Written and edited by experts in the field, this book provides valuable insight into the remarkable advancement of DNA microarrays. It is essential for researchers investigating patterns of gene expression and useful for all those interested in the use of biochips. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice Overview
This book is a good primer on microarrays. ... Read more

Book Description

Gene Silencing by RNA Interference: Technology and Application provides background in the field and describes methods and protocols for gene silencing. It offers a general introduction to the subject of gene silencing and RNA interference and focuses on technical details of the various methods of producing siRNAs and other RNAi tools. The final chapters of the book detail the application of RNAi to dissect gene function in a number of biological systems, including cell-free systems, cultured cells, and whole organisms. This book is a comprehensive guide to gene silencing by RNA interference methods for beginners and experienced professionals in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

Genetics research is one of the fastest changing and most provocative subjects of science today, and no one source explains the complex processes and ethical issues as lucidly as The New York Times. The oceans of information that genes contain and what their manipulation implies for the future of the human race are sometimes overwhelming to both scientist and layperson, but Nicholas Wade, Natalie Angier, Gina Kolata, and other award-winning writers from the newspaper's Science Times section serve as interpreters and translators of the latest news from the laboratories. They convert perplexing technical breakthroughs into an enthralling journey to new frontiers. With more than forty-five articles on the subject, The New York Times Book of Genetics is mandatory reading for all those interested in medicine, evolution, scientific ethics and the human condition. (7 x 9, 288 pages, diagrams) ... Read more

Book Description

Introduction to Bioinformatics by Arthur Lesk is a timely and much-needed textbook which provides an accessible and thorough introduction to a subject which is becoming a fundamental part of biological science today. As a pioneer of the use of bioinformatics techniques in research, Dr Lesk brings unrivalled experience and expertise to the study of this field. The aim of the book is to generate an understanding of the biological background of bioinformatics, and to integrate this with an introduction to the use of computational skills. Without describing computer science or sophisticated programming skills in detail, the book supports and encourages the application of the many powerful computational tools of bioinformatics in a way that is both relevant to and stimulating for the reader. The book contains numerous problems and innovative Weblems (for Web-based Problems) to encourage students to engage with the subject and with the accompanying web site and to develop a working understanding and appreciation of the power of bioinformatics as a research tool. ... Read more

Book Description

'Phylogenetics' is the reconstruction and analysis of phylogenetic (evolutionary) trees and networks based on inherited characteristics. It is a flourishing area of intereaction between mathematics, statistics, computer science and biology. The main role of phylogenetic techniques lies in evolutionary biology, where it is used to infer historical relationships between species. However, the methods are also relevant to a diverse range of fields including epidemiology, ecology, medicine, as well as linguistics and cognitive psychology This book is intended for biologists interested in the mathematical theory behind phylogenetic methods, and for mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists eager to learn about this emerging area of discrete mathematics. 'Phylogenetics' in the 24th volume in the Oxford Lecture Series in Mathematics and its Applications. This series contains short books suitable for graduate students and researchers who want a well-written account of mathematics that is fundamental to current to research. The series emphasises future directions of research and focuses on genuine applications of mathematics to finance, engineering and the physical and biological sciences. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good, for the dedicated reader
Starting with genes, proteins, or other biological traits, phylogenetics is about describing relationships between them. Phylogenetics tries to estimate "family trees" given only the family members visible today - exact lineage is guesswork, since the parents, grandparents, and shared heritage can never be known.

This book offers deep analysis of one family of techniques for deducing possible trees. It gives a very thorough, formal description of ways to examine and resolve different sources of information, or to determine that they can not be resolved. It offers minute analysis of ways to take subsets of the whole family, analyze the subsets, then merge the subset conclusions together, as much as possible. It also addresses the statistical character of the tree-building problem. The reader who masters this material has a powerful set of tools for phylogenetic analysis.

That reader must be truly dedicated, though. The first two chapters read like mathematical graph theory (because they are). The next few chapters are also highly mathematical, but offer a bit more biological insight. I'm not a mathematician, so I find this book tough going. The graph-theoretic conclusions give wonderful insight into combining information from multiple traits and in noting points of conflict. It takes me a while, though, to unwind the formal notation enough to attach biological meaning to it. There are a few helpful statistical analyses, but they could be missed - the more familiar kinds of statistics are hidden among the combinatorics and tree perturbations. Later chapters revisit familiar topics like parsimony and Markov models, but with theoretical depth that's hard to find elsewhere.

Within the whole gamut of phylogenetic techniques now used, this book addresses only one range. Within that range, however, Semple and Steel have done a fine job of showing the theory behind those techniques. I value the insights that this book brings. Even so, it's not always easy to dislodge those insights from the solid slabs of proofs in which they are embedded. I appreciate the demonstration of NP-completeness of specific problems, but I can't always apply that knowledge to the biology I want to address.

Anyone devoted to mastering every nuance of phylogenetic analysis should read this book. It goes beyond the needs of most application developers, though. It probably won't say much at all to those who just use the results of analysis; it simply does not address any particular application that an analyst might use. If you have the determination to understand and the patience to pick out the understanding, you'll find a lot to like in "Phylogenetics". ... Read more

Book Description

Chance, Development, and Aging explores a subject that has been largely ignored until now: the sources of individual variations in development and aging that cannot be attributed to genes or the external environment. And by doing so, this book develops new insight on aging and the individual. Gathering and scrutinizing evidence from diverse sources, the authors examine those differences in individuals that arise during development and those that might influence outcomes of aging. Through their research, they pose a new set of questions about the contribution of chance events during development, and although chance variations during development are well known within the sub-fields of developmental biology, there has been little recognition of their affects on variations in adult form and function.

Here, the authors confront this issue with a fascinating hypothesis: chance variations in form and function, arising through development, affect individual base-line functions and individual responses to the external environment and so modify outcomes of aging. This book will undoubtedly benefit gerentologists, geneticists, reproductive biologists, and physiologists, and it will fascinate all those interested in the outcomes of aging. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Chance is significant to life!
Finch and Kirkwood have written a great and insightful book reviewing the premise that chance, operating during the fetal development of an organism, has a significant influence on all future physiological events during the postnatal life of the organism. These intrinsic developmental variations lead to seemingly subtle and, until now, thought to be insignificant, physiological differences between organisms. Finch and Kirkwood convincingly argue that these subtle physiological differences have a significant impact on later events during the life of the organism. For example, whether a given individual will get sporadic Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Also, the same variations would have an impact on the severity of the disease (should a person get the disease). This book is a must for any biology scientist serious about having a complete library on her/his shelves. ... Read more

Book Description

This concise introduction offers students and researchers an overview of the discipline that connects genetics and evolution. Addressing the theories behind population genetics and relevant empirical evidence, John Gillespie discusses genetic drift, natural selection, nonrandom mating, quantitative genetics, and the evolutionary advantage of sex. First published to wide acclaim in 1998, this brilliant primer has been updated to include new sections on molecular evolution, genetic drift, genetic load, the stationary distribution, and two-locus dynamics. This book is indispensable for students working in a laboratory setting or studying free-ranging populations.

Reviews (2)

place to start to learn pop gen
This is a wonderfully clear and concise introduction to population genetics. The emphasis is on fundamental insights gleaned from relatively simple models. If you want to learn something about this approach to studying evolution, start here.

Simply superb...
Many authors make population genetics a boring, and often a formidablediscipline in Biology.Therefore, many students avoid taking populationgenetics, inspite of its central importance in understanding manybiological processes. John Gillespie has intertwined theory with superbexperimental data.He has made population genetics accessable by allbiologists, and evenenjoyable, which is an incredible achievement.Besides, hiswriting style is rare among science writers.His style iscomparable to the other great stylist among geneticists, Professor James F.Crow. ... Read more

Book Description

In Volume 2 of Essential Molecular Biology, procedures for preparing gene libraries and identifying genes are described, together with methods for studying the structure of a cloned gene and the way it is expressed in the cell. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Evo/Devo text
I havn't read the book all the way through, but from what I've seen, its an excellent book, good illustrations, straightforward info. This particular area of biology - using developmental genetics to elucidate evolutionary processes and relationships, is in my opinion one of the most exciting areas of biology today. I've had some advanced level classes in developmental and evolutionary biology myself, and I would probably have to say that for the lay person, the book may be somewhat out of grasp.

In regards to the mouse/fly eye develompent experiment, it is simply showing that the genes that regulate the most fundamental levels of development in the eye (or any part of the organism) are the same for fly and mouse... over the years, the end results have evolved to be much different, but at the deepest levels, the the genes that regulate the most fundamental develpment are still the same. ie. eye gene in mouse = mouse eye, eye gene in fly = fly eye. eye gene does the same thing in fly our mouse.

I can't handle it yet.
This is a beautiful book with an attractive
illustration on almost every page.
A book review in Nature writes this intriguing statement,

"Despite more than 600 million years
of separate evolution of flies and mice,
the introduction of the [Pax6] mouse gene into flies
can induce new eye tissue -- not of the
camera-like eyes of mammals, but of the
insect compound eye!"

I wanted to understand this better.
I'm a nonbio major who spent all my spare
time in the past year reading biology books.
So I went to the bookstore and spent three hours
with this book. I found that I didn't have enough background
be able to gain a deeper understanding on the intriguing quotation.
Hopefully I'll be able to handle it after another year of preparation.

Tough going, but worth it!
As a professor of English at a Swedish university I devoted several years to studies of British history of ideas, leading up, eventually, to a book about the general public's reception of Darwin's evolution theory in Mid-Victorian Britain. The subject has fascinated me ever since. I have naturally followed with interest the subsequent debates on evolutionary biology, including its philosophical implications, in the pages of such journals as Science and Nature. Therefore the title of the present book appealed to me. It seemed to promise an introduction to aspects of the Darwinian theory which were certainly unknown to Darwin and his times. At the same time I realised that knowing more about genetics was a must for me, if I was to keep abreast of the debate about Darwin.

I must confess I found it hard to assimilate the text, in spite of a clear style, and excellent illustrations. The sheer weight of unfamiliar facts and concepts made the reading laborious, to the point of exhaustion. But about half-way through the book (and helped by excursions into some undergraduate biological textbooks) I found that I had after all assimilated enough of the content to see that , for instance, the geneticist's seemingly perverse interest in the banana fly, Drosophila melanogaster, was indeed a rational choice. Many of the basic genes of the banana fly, especially those responsible for the early development of the fertilized egg onwards, are the same, or nearly so, as those that build up man. Not only are individual genes similar: their interactions with each other and their functions are also similar. For instance, though the banana fly's eyes are constructed entirely differently from those of man, their development, from egg to adult, are still controlled by genes that are clearly related to each other, and interact with other genes in similar ways.

These fundamental similarities between an insect and a human implies that their common roots must lie some 500 million years back in time, presumably in tiny organisms existing in the oceans at that time. Moreover, it seems that the genes in question, to be found in the DNA of the chromosomes of both insects and humans, probably come from even tinier organisms, namely primitive bacteria, which the multicellular organisms had incorporated, at first as parasites or symbionts, in their own more advanced cells. If so, we are carried back even further back in time, perhaps to a billion years before now. We seem to be on the point of uniting the biological and physical (and chemical) evolution of our planet. Darwin surely would have loved that prospect, far beyond his own reach. This book is not an easy read. But it will yield a rich reward to the persistent reader. Incidentally, such a reader might do worse than go on to read an astronomer's view of the same wide panorama: Delsemme's 0ur Cosmic Origins.

Wonderful intro to evo-devo
This is a short (about 200 pages)book, but it really is a fantastic introduction to evolutionary developmental biology. I've had an (amateurish) interest in this for awhile, and Carroll et al really clarify basic principles in the field. It is beautifully illustrated...full color diagrams and photos on almost every page. The basic concept is that there is a limited set of genes (the "toolkit") that control development and evolution throughout the animal kingdom. The basic function of these genes--like the hox genes, sonic hedgehog, ubx, and so forth--is clearly explained, and examples of the evolution of their function by changes in their own, and their target genes, cis-regulatory binding sites are shown. In depth coverage is given naturally to the fruit fly, but other insects also, and this is contrasted to the situation in vertebrate development. A real pleasure to read! Anybody with a college course or two in biology should find it comprehensible. I am absolutely positive this field is going to explode in the coming years, and I am certain that this book will be an inspiration for those who will become involved in it. If you're at all interested in the subject of the molecular mechanisms of evolution...don't hesitate to get this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Instant Notes in Bioinformatics, provides concise yet comprehensive coverage of bioinformatics at an undergraduate level, with easy access to the fundamentals in this complex field. All the important areas in bioinformatics are covered in a format which is ideal for learning and rapid revision and reference. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Concise primer. Not bad.
If you want a concise primer on bioinformatics, then this book may be of interest. I read this book as a review, but it seems that it may serve well for newcomers alike.

Compared to other primers such as "Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills", this book contains less unnecessasary figures (e.g., central dogma, etc.), covers wider range of topics, tries to be less verbose.

A drawback is that there is little description at an algorithmic level (e.g., dynamic programming). However, the book does a pretty good job in conveying the main ideas about what such algorithms do and why they are needed. I like this book's concise and accurate presentation style much better than lengthy and confusing style found in many other books (e.g., Bioinformatics - David Mount). Another drawback is that font is small.

Overall, this book is not bad. I think this book's preface tells you what you can expect from this book, so below I excerpted a paragraph.

"We will tell you how to do things, but this is not a software manual for commonly used packages. They have their own manuals that are (mostly) much better than anything we could provide. Many of the methods we describe rely on quite complex mathematical, statistical or computational techniques. Often we choose not to describe these at all, but where we do we have aimed for a simple conceptual understanding." ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents a comprehensive and updated catalogue of the already large, and rapidly growing number of chromosome aberrations in man. The consistent structure of the text and references provide for rapid orientation. The catalogue is an important help for any clinician treating patients with autosomal chromosome aberrations as well as for physicians and biologists working in cytogenic laboratories and human genetic institutes. ... Read more