Product Description
In this third edition of his popular undergraduate-level textbook, Des Nicholl recognises that a sound grasp of basic principles is vital in any introduction to genetic engineering. Therefore, as well as being thoroughly updated, the book also retains its focus on the fundamental principles used in gene manipulation. The text is divided into three sections: Part I provides an introduction to the relevant basic molecular biology; Part II, the methods used to manipulate genes; and Part III, applications of the technology. There is a new chapter devoted to the emerging importance of bioinformatics as a distinct discipline. Other additional features include text boxes, which highlight important aspects of topics discussed, and chapter summaries, which include aims and learning outcomes. These, along with key word listings, concept maps and a glossary, will enable students to tailor their study to suit their own learning styles and ultimately gain a firm grasp of a subject that students traditionally find difficult. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

you need this in your bookshelf
This is a great book for college students. Probably the best textbook of genetic engineering I've ever read ! I'm already a graduate student majored in plant science, but I still find this book quite useful in giving me an general and clear conception about genetic engineering. My favorite part is the concept maps at the end of each chapter !!

A brief overview of gene technology
First off, I would have given this book 5 stars if value was the main consideration. You can't beat the price for what you are getting with this work. It provides a very concise overview of modern gene technology, though that conciseness is the underlying drawback of this text. Another thing I didn't like about this text is that that everything is in black and white. With today's printing capabilities, B/W is sub-standard. Although, I must express that even with the limited resources put into the printing, the diagrams are well thought out and the graphical explanations are very well delivered considering there is no color to work with. As mentioned above, for a compact text that weighs next to nothing compared to a full text-book you can't argue against its value.

This book is divided into three parts. Part I covers the basic gene technology principles. Part II deals with the methods of rDNA technologies. And Part III discusses some applications of rDNA with some minor references to non-rDNA biotechnologies for comparison purposes. Part I and Part II seem somewhat dry, especially with the terseness involved with cramming the whole subject into such a small book. It takes a lot of interest in the subject to keep the attention span. It also is a bit difficult to follow at times and re-reading parts and perhaps referencing external texts may be necessary to obtain a good comprehension of the material at hand. One fantastic feature is that the author provides a "summary chart" at the end of each chapter. The educational impact of this technique is remarkable and I wish this was used more in many other texts. Part III is where the juicy material is covered. After all the foundation is laid, Part III makes for easy reading and brings to light the knowledge you gain from the former parts. It gives a brief overview of some of the different applications of gene technology as well as discusses societal impact and influence (perhaps the major determinant of the fate of biotechnology).

Readers of this book should have some background knowledge of genetics or molecular biology. That would help overcome the terseness of the presentation material. Overall, this book provides a decent academic overview of the subject without the sidetracking toward the many examples and specific details contained in full texts.

Excellent Overview
Nicholl covers every pertinent aspect of this fascinating field of science and engineering in this book in a clear and comprehensible way.His use of concept maps to summarize the key concepts in each chapter is a tremendously effective tool.

Nicholl approaches this subject in a schematic way.That is to say, he makes considerable use of idealized diagrams to explain the many components and characteristics of genetic materials and processes.The terminology will be a challenge for non-geneticists, but Nicholl has included a fairly comprehensive glossary of terms at the end of the book.

I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in understanding the basics of GE and its implications for our world.

Excellent for the non-biology expert
I came across this book searching for good introductory texts to be used as companions in a bioinformatics course intended for an audience of graduate students in computer science at the University of Chicago.Thisis definitely an outstanding text for this purpose.It's geneticengineering in a nutshell.Each chapter is summarized at its end by a"concept-diagram" that connects all the essential information inthat chapter (I wish other authors could do the same with their books).The book is divided in eight chapters, spanning over 165 pagesapproximately.It covers basic molecular biology (gene organization,expression), manipulation of nucleic acids (labelling, hybridisation,electrophoresis, and sequencing), restriction, modifying, and joiningenzymes, vector techniques, cloning, recombinants, and applied issues(making proteins, transgenics, etc). ... Read more

Product Description

Listen to a short interview with Michael Sandel
Host: Chris Gondek | Producer: Heron & Crane

Breakthroughs in genetics present us with a promise and a predicament. The promise is that we will soon be able to treat and prevent a host of debilitating diseases. The predicament is that our newfound genetic knowledge may enable us to manipulate our nature--to enhance our genetic traits and those of our children. Although most people find at least some forms of genetic engineering disquieting, it is not easy to articulate why. What is wrong with re-engineering our nature?

The Case against Perfection explores these and other moral quandaries connected with the quest to perfect ourselves and our children. Michael Sandel argues that the pursuit of perfection is flawed for reasons that go beyond safety and fairness. The drive to enhance human nature through genetic technologies is objectionable because it represents a bid for mastery and dominion that fails to appreciate the gifted character of human powers and achievements. Carrying us beyond familiar terms of political discourse, this book contends that the genetic revolution will change the way philosophers discuss ethics and will force spiritual questions back onto the political agenda.

In order to grapple with the ethics of enhancement, we need to confront questions largely lost from view in the modern world. Since these questions verge on theology, modern philosophers and political theorists tend to shrink from them. But our new powers of biotechnology make these questions unavoidable. Addressing them is the task of this book, by one of America's preeminent moral and political thinkers.

Customer Reviews (12)

Where's my book?
Have not got my book from this person yet, and it should have been there weeks ago!! Don't order a book from this person you will never get it.

Profoundly elitist; seeks to maintain the meritocratic status quo
Sandel tries to make the case for limiting individual reproductive choice. His none-too-subtle agenda is to maintain the advantages of the genetic elites, such as himself, at the expense of the rest of society.

Sandel says he's against allowing parents to choose their children's genes. He assumes (correctly) that many social advantages (energy level, self-confidence, intelligence) are innate, and unevenly distributed.Secretly, he's happy that he can pass along his own traits (ability to focus for long periods, mild charisma) to his children.(I say "his children" to refer to the children of meritocrats generally.)But he dreads that the great unwashed masses will soon be able to alter their own genes to be more like his, since then his children would become less rare and special in their innate traits.

Sandel says "there remains something troubling with the ambition to control the genetic characteristics of the next generation".That's all very well for someone who's already born with the "gifted character of human powers" (i.e. the genes for success).But what if you're born with other genes?You'll never achieve as much social influence or status as Sandel and his kids.

Sandel worries that the "meritocracy, less chastened by chance, would become harder, less forgiving".Yeah, and meritocrats would also become more commonplace, leading to less social disparity in income and status.Today, corporations pay millions in salary and bonues to a rare cadre of super-smart, super-motivated genetic elites, who can in turn afford better lifestyles, better healthcare, and greater social influence (through political donations, ability to launch a national journal, etc).

"Changing our nature to fit the world," argues Sandel, "is actually the deepest form of disempowerment."Really?For you, perhaps.

Very impressive
I was very impressed with the thinking of Professor Sandel in this book.The best part was the last chapter, where in about thirty pages, he makes an eloquent case for embryonic stem cell research. While being respectful of the beliefs of conservatives who oppose it, he shows why their arguments are weak. I liked his analogy of the acorn not being an oak tree just as the embryo is not a baby, even though the oak was an acorn at one time. This is a serious, well-reasoned, intellectual book.

The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Age of Genetic Engineering
Fast deliverly, I needed this book my Bioethics class and got it just in time. Thanks!

Interesting, not as insightful as others
The book was an interesting read, but frustrating. There was a genetic determinism about the discussion that made the author's stand feel naive. Clearly the variation in many human features are constrained to a particular range by genetics, but this does not mean that any individual can be engineered to guarantee the development a particular trait. Even extremely pro-genes books like The Nurture Assumption leave an important role for environment in human development (Harris just doesn't think parents are a particularly influential part of that environment).

The gift argument is repeated throughout, but not supported very well. Sandel also discusses genetic modifications as arms races, but misses the fact that the "improvement" of human characteristics need not entail an arms race or a zero sum game. There are traits that have a value that is non-competitive. If research has found that people with a happiness score of 8-9 on a scale of 1-10 succeed most in life, it is correct to note that success in many fields is competitive. Yet, the feeling of happiness and enjoyment of life is not a zero sum game. Every human can enjoy this at the same time. If genetic engineering made us all 8-9 on the happiness scale, we would all benefit individually in our quality of life, though we would only be keeping pace with regards to competitive advantage. Again, Sandel misses this nuance and his discussions suffer from it.

The part of the book I felt was worth reading was the section regarding hyper-parenting. This was a point neglected in other books I have read on the subject, such as Agar's and Glover's. Nevertheless, the other books are far superior discussions of the subject with more exhaustive and nuanced discussions of genetic engineering.

I would advise against reading only this book when reading on this subject. This book should be read to offer another perspective after reading a more well rounded discussion like Glover's. As with any of the books I mention in this review, you should understand views on the role of genetics in development before reading the books. Don't expect the books to teach those details, though Agar's does contain good discussions regarding the fallacy of genetic determinism. ... Read more

Product Description

Could a child have two genetic mothers? Will parents someday soon be able to choose not only the physical characteristics of their children-to-be, but their personalities and talents as well? Will genetic enhancement ultimately lead to a split in the human species?

Customer Reviews (13)

Weak
It says in the bio the writer teaches at Princeton, but based on the writing, listless and without a compelling narrative, I can only hope the gentleman works as a subsitute teacher, rather than someone fully tenured.For a far more gripping story, both in information and narrative style, read MERCHANTS of IMMORTALITY.Science writing at it's very best!

Perfect transaction!
I received the book only a few days after I ordered it and it was in great condition. Thanks.

It was an awesome book
I find it very interesting reading. Lee Silver brought the complexities of the reprogentic labs to the grasp of the layman. It projects into the future of reproduction and it looks like the American society one day will finally come to accept cloning as an option, though expensive.

Human Genetic Engineering
I found this book exceptionally delightful. The author's views are extremely solid and he does not, through out the course of the book, waver in his judgment. I especially enjoyed his conclusion. All in all, this book is very well thought out.

A must-read for everyone!
This book is an excellent read for anyone with an interest in reproductive technologies.I submit that it is important for everyone as the issues in the book are rapidly becoming less science-fiction and more reality.Cloning and genetic selection are especially important.Both positive and negative scenarios resulting from the use of these and other technologies are presented.They may seem far-fetched at times but nonetheless possible.
I had the privilege of taking Prof. Silver's class at Princeton and listen to him lecture on this book and others on the subject, and I am so glad that I did.
Right now most people are terrified of the unknown future of cloning, genetic engineering, and other technologies.Please, read this book before making up your mind!
The best part about this book is that it does not get too bogged down in technical details.A non-scientist can read it and understand, but someone who knows more about the scientific aspects can still learn from it.There's something for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

A clarion call to sustain a healthy food legacy
I'm struck by how seeds and the preservation of seeds have defined value in cultures through the ages.Bioneers and seeds of change brought this concept back to modern consciousness over a decade ago.What Cummings has done is masterfully and passionately focused awareness on just how fragile our legacy is.Her writing is deeply informative and evocative.The words from the end of the Epilogue continue to captivate me."Seeds are messengers from the past.They are an embodiment of hope for the future...We can be guided by the way of the seed and by knowing that what we do to seeds, we do to ourselves.One thing is certain: the future of seeds is in our hands."
Bravo, Ms. Cummings!

From a Farmers point of view
I used to work for Monsanto and thought they were wonderful to work for. i got caught up in their science. as i have got older and switched from conventional to organic farming i have been keenly made aware of just what is going on. Seeing my soil come back to life, diversity in wildlife, beneficial insects and microlife is short of a religous experience. to think i was an addict and they were my dealer!!! what corporations are doing with seeds, chemicals and our freedom to farm is true. Anyone denying this, is either bribed, employed by them, or they own lots of stock and could care less what the agenda is. as our culture transformed from a rural to mostly urban one it's easy to see how most people have tuned out what is going on with their food. what a shame. Claire wrote this book with passion, i read it with passion. God, i wish i could meet her. Claire, thank you for this book, great job.

Our Food Supply Is At Risk - Uncertain Peril Is The Warning
As our western civilization "evolves" our connection with our food supply has diminished to the point where the basic understanding of farming and the processes involved has diminished.One thing we all know despite this is that food comes from seeds.But what if seeds were no longer available or if they were only viable with the purchase of support chemicals?What would happen if the world's food supply were contaminated with a corporate gene that eliminated our ability and right to save seeds? Bob Dylan wrote in one of his apocalyptic songs from the seventies "One day even your home garden will be against the law". This is what is happening in the name of "Feeding the World", the mantra of the corporations bringing us "better living" with genetic engineering.But so far there has not been a genetically engineered crop that has benefited anyone but corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta.Claire has weaved together a compelling call to action and a succinct report of thedirection agriculture is heading.I recommend that you arm yourself with this book and prepare to defend.

greenhorns to the issue?- This is your textbook
Young Farmers, urban food activists, locavores and Kingsolverites--those of us who are newly concious about the food we put in our mouths, and the landscape behind that food--> If we've arrived on the scene in recent years, then we never really knew agriculture pre-biotech.

We have learned too late of the gross contamination of our food supply, the 70% of processed foods on our super market shelves that have GMO ingredients, the vast plantations of GMO soybean in Brazil, the open air testing of experimental pharma-drugs and GMOs in Hawaii, the ever more hyperbolus corn fields in our own midwest. These tragedies of monoculture are the result of a deliberate process carried out before our time, and before our involvement in the food system.

While a lot of these biotech developments occurred before my generation got involved in sustainable agriculture, the approval for these technologies and the intellecutal property rights precedents occured at the highest levels. There is a wonderful French film that just came out about Monsanto ( The World According to Monsanto) with a clip of George Bush senior touring the Monsanto research facility and saying "Well if you have any trouble with the FDA let me know, we're in the DEREG business."


With current talk about the 'spike' in food prices funding development for yet another round of "Roundup Ready" crops, with unprecedented hunger pangs, and the recent focus of the Gates Foundation on Biotech for Africa-- what better time to learn what we can from the corrupt history of the Agro-bioscience industry. False promises, superweeds, hegemony and monoculture, lets stop the proliferation of GMO agriculture as soon as we can.

Required Reading for Educators concerned with the Science, Food & Health
Uncertain Peril provides a vivid description of the crisis at hand for our food system and the seed source that provides the foundation for all of the ecosystems we depend upon. Claire Cummings describes the crisis in a way that allows for understanding and action, the two ingredients that offer the only solution at hand. The book covers the current socio-political landscape surrounding genetic materials in a fair and factual manner. The book should be on the reading list of all citizens and particularly educators, high school through college, concerned with the interface of science, food, farming and health. ... Read more

Product Description
Genetic Engineering: A Primer presents the growing field of biotechnology to non-science majors and other general interest readers. The author examines the natural forces that change genetic information and the ways in which scientists have learned to engineer these genetic changes. With a wealth of information flooding the popular press, including news and controversy surrounding cloning, Genetic Engineering is a timely volume that provides background information to the reader intent on understanding this fascinating development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Simple yet complete
Having work in a genetics laboratory for some time, I wanted to have a more in-depth understanding of the principles of my work. Although the coverage of the book was not as deep as I expected, I believe it is an excellent introductory textbook to the basic principles underlying genetic engineering.
Even though the pictures and graphs are not as good as in other textbooks and that a CD-Rom with animations is not provided, the plain-English explanation allows students gain a good insight on the techniques used in genetic engineering. The book does not even expect the reader to know anything about science and builds more complex concepts from there. For example, an explanation of different types of bonds is provided.
I must congratulate the author of this book for covering many of the techniques I used in the laboratory in a nutshell. I must also congratulate you if you get ahold of the book since you will learn from one of the most straighforward books available.

Genetic Engineering in plain english
I can't begin to tell you how useful this book is. As I'm doing research in several university libraries, I found books that were complexed and difficult to understand. This book however, puts genetic engineering into such a simple language that even a fifth grader could understand it. This is the perfect book for a beginner. ... Read more

Product Description
Sometime in the next few years, scientists may reprogramme a human egg or sperm cell, make a change in the genetic instructions carried by that cell, a change that will be passed on down into eternity. The scientific expertise exists to do this, as does the motivation: to erase the chance of inheriting a disease, to improve the intelligence or the stamina or the beauty of a child. On the brink of an era that may be defined by genetic engineering, McKibben asks: should this happen? He argues that genetic engineering and the technologies that lie beyond it will launch us free of our past, of our humanity, of meaning. We are sleepwalking towards a future that will take us far away from all we have known: Enough is our wake-up call. ... Read more

Product Description
Wondergenes not only imagines a future world in which genetic enhancement is the norm, but asserts that this future has already begun. Genetically engineered substances are already in use by athletes, in vitro fertilization already provides the primitive means by which parents can "select" an embryo, and the ability to create new forms of genetically engineered human beings is not far off. What happens when gene therapy becomes gene enhancement? Who will benefit and who might be left behind? What are the costs to our values and beliefs, and to the future of our society? To answer these questions, Maxwell J. Mehlman provides an overview of the scientific advances that have led to the present state of genetic enhancement and explains how these advances will be used in the future to redefine what we think of as a normal human being. He explores the ethical dilemmas already facing researchers and medical practitioners, and the dilemmas we will all be expected to face. In his forecast of the dangers inherent in this technology, he is particularly concerned with the emergence of a "genobility" made up of those able to afford increasingly expensive enhancement.

Wondergenes is a serious, accessible introduction to the social and personal implications of genetic engineering. Mehlman weighs the social and economic costs of the many proposals to regulate or limit genetic engineering and provides six concrete policy recommendations—from professional licensing to a ban on germ-line enhancement—that propose to make the future of genetic enhancement more equitable and safe. ... Read more

Product Description
Genetic engineering is one of the most controversial and passionately debated issues today. This book is an in-depth, yet accessible, exposition of the science behind genetic engineering technology, written by a scientist who has herself carried out research in genetics and taught the subject for many years. It examines the social and political implications of the intimate involvement of genetic engineering science with big corporate business, and it points to serious hazards that are inherent in the technology but are largely ignored by practitioners and regulators alike. The author calls for a halt to commercialisation and for an independent public enquiry into the hazards involved, taking into account the most comprehensive scientific findings as well as the socio-economic and ethical implications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beyond Genic Reductionism
Accounts of the new world of the genome are confusing, has noone noticed? The reason is that we no longer live in the Age of Darwinism, although the authors don't let on. Not here. After a head-on assault at genetic engineering, the author presents a clear, if brief, and perhaps transitional and incomplete, debunking of Neo-Darwinism, on the basis of the same material present though disguised in typical texts. The fallacies of genetic determinism, the misleading reductionism of the 'selfish gene' mythology, the fluid genome, Lamarckian evironmentally induced change in DNA, and much else, simply leaves the standard view in the dust. All this in between an aggressive, and quite controversial, attack on the alliance of biology and big business, accompanied by scorchers about the sources of Darwinism in nineteenth century ideology. A sock in the jaw. No doubt a number of statements here are open to challenge. But the basic thrust of the book puts the rest of the profession to shame. Noone can fool anyone anymore, and a more comprehensive and critical version of this type of book would help. But the current profession is not in the business of making biology clear to the public, in the reign of bad science and big business. ... Read more

Product Description
The debate over human Genetic Engineering (GE) is about to go mainstream. Not as a one-day wonder about cloning or a theological disagreement about embryos, but as a major political issue, driven in part by a grassroots movement of opposition.

Human Genetic Engineering is a highly readable and entertaining guide. It explains in accessible language for a popular audience the essential questions that will arise in the future debates: What is human GE? Will it work? What perspectives should we remember? Who is doing what, and why? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fairly One Sided
I was quite annoyed after reading a few pages into the book. If one were to write about the ethical issues and problems that genetic engineering would induce, that person should be an expert at the matter, or better yet, have hands-on experience on it. I'm a neuroscience researcher at the Second ranking school in the nation. I understand how the mechanism behind this procedure and what we do as scientists; moreover, the guidelines we follow to prove ourselves as ethical as we can be. When it comes to genetic engineering, what is good for the individual is more important than what is good for the society. With that being said, genetic enhancement for personal advantage or desire is a questionable practice because it is the people's choice. This is America, isn't it? Are we all here because we believe in choices?

Slouching toward GATTACA?
Pete Shanks has written a terrific introduction to human genetic engineering and the fraught issues it raises. The basic question he takes on: How do we get what's good out of human biotechnology, but make sure we don't wake up one morning and find ourselves in GATTACA?

"Guide to Human Genetic Engineering" covers the cloning of people and pets, "transhumanism," eugenics, sex selection, designer babies, gene doping, stem cells, and more. It welcomes beneficial uses of biotechnology, but cuts through the techno-boosterism that characterizes far too much of the current public discussion of these issues.

The book's appearance is engaging, with a table or pull quote or something else visually interesting on almost every page. The writing is top-notch -- entertaining, even funny and intermittently irreverent, but without ever losing sight of the seriousness and importance of the subject matter. The author clearly explains the technical basics, and goes beneath the surface of the political and social controversies, but not so deep as to lose "perplexed" or simply curious readers. He makes it clear what he thinks, but it's obvious that he respects what others think too.

I recommend this book very highly.

Choosing where we should go
This is a great primer and source-book on just about everything connected with human genetic engineering -- cloning, stem cells, the fertility industry, gene therapy (and how it hasn't worked), and even the history of eugenics. There's really nothing like it. Every chapter has got suggestions for further reading, there's an appendix listing all the best websites and books ... and on top of it all, Shanks can really write. Clear, concise, accessible; this is the best introduction to the subject yet. ... Read more

Product Description
The debate over human Genetic Engineering (GE) is about to go mainstream. Not as a one-day wonder about cloning or a theological disagreement about embryos, but as a major political issue, driven in part by a grassroots movement of opposition.

Human Genetic Engineering is a highly readable and entertaining guide. It explains in accessible language for a popular audience the essential questions that will arise in the future debates: What is human GE? Will it work? What perspectives should we remember? Who is doing what, and why? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fairly One Sided
I was quite annoyed after reading a few pages into the book. If one were to write about the ethical issues and problems that genetic engineering would induce, that person should be an expert at the matter, or better yet, have hands-on experience on it. I'm a neuroscience researcher at the Second ranking school in the nation. I understand how the mechanism behind this procedure and what we do as scientists; moreover, the guidelines we follow to prove ourselves as ethical as we can be. When it comes to genetic engineering, what is good for the individual is more important than what is good for the society. With that being said, genetic enhancement for personal advantage or desire is a questionable practice because it is the people's choice. This is America, isn't it? Are we all here because we believe in choices?

Slouching toward GATTACA?
Pete Shanks has written a terrific introduction to human genetic engineering and the fraught issues it raises. The basic question he takes on: How do we get what's good out of human biotechnology, but make sure we don't wake up one morning and find ourselves in GATTACA?

"Guide to Human Genetic Engineering" covers the cloning of people and pets, "transhumanism," eugenics, sex selection, designer babies, gene doping, stem cells, and more. It welcomes beneficial uses of biotechnology, but cuts through the techno-boosterism that characterizes far too much of the current public discussion of these issues.

The book's appearance is engaging, with a table or pull quote or something else visually interesting on almost every page. The writing is top-notch -- entertaining, even funny and intermittently irreverent, but without ever losing sight of the seriousness and importance of the subject matter. The author clearly explains the technical basics, and goes beneath the surface of the political and social controversies, but not so deep as to lose "perplexed" or simply curious readers. He makes it clear what he thinks, but it's obvious that he respects what others think too.

I recommend this book very highly.

Choosing where we should go
This is a great primer and source-book on just about everything connected with human genetic engineering -- cloning, stem cells, the fertility industry, gene therapy (and how it hasn't worked), and even the history of eugenics. There's really nothing like it. Every chapter has got suggestions for further reading, there's an appendix listing all the best websites and books ... and on top of it all, Shanks can really write. Clear, concise, accessible; this is the best introduction to the subject yet. ... Read more

Product Description
Biotechnology is a rapidly-developing 21st century technology and interdisciplinary science that has already made an impact on commercial and non-commercial aspects of human life, such as stem cell research, cloning, pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture, bioenergetics, and information technology. This book, appropriate for novices in the biotechnology/genetics fi elds and also for engineering and biology students, covers all of the fundamental principles of these modern topics. It has been written in a very simple manner for self-study. In addition to the comprehensive coverage of the standard topics, such as cell growth and development, genetic principles (mapping, DNA, etc), protein structure, plant and animal cell cultures, and applications, the book includes up-to-date discussions of modern topics, e.g., medical advances, quality control, stem cell technology, genetic manipulation, patents, bioethics, and a brief review of mathematics. The accompanying CD-ROM provides simulations, fi gures, related Web sites, and numerous other resources. FEATURES*Contains up-to-date topics e.g., stem cell research, cloning, bioethics, and genetic engineering*Designed for the reader who does not have familiarity with biology or genetics *Contains practical applications of DNA, RNA, microbrial and plant cell cultures, etc.*Accompanied by a CD-ROM containing simulations, color fi gures, and numerous third-party resources*Includes an optional unit of appropriate mathematical topics for review*Separate instructor s CD available upon adoption as a textbook ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fine collection for novices
College-level collections strong in genetic engineering will find this a fine collection for novices in genetics and also for engineering and biology students, covering all the basics of these topics and providing a fine manual for self-study. From discussions of medical advances and patents to issues of bioethics and basic genetic principles, INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENETIC ENGINEERING provides excellent discussions on the latest topics, from stem cell research to cloning.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
Those are not your grandfather's potato chips.

As debate rages over the costs and benefits of genetically engineered crops, noted agroecologist Miguel Altieri lucidly examines some of the issue's most basic and pressing questions:

* Are transgenic crops similar to conventionally bred crops?

* Are transgenic crops safe to eat?

* Does biotechnology increase yields?

* Does it reduce pesticide use?

* What are the costs to American farmers?

* Will biotechnology benefit poor farmers?

* Can biotechnology coexist with other forms of agriculture?

* What are the known and potential environmental and biological risks?

* What alternatives do we have to genetically modified crops? ... Read more

Product Description
Is genetic engineering a modern magic wand, responsible for producing fantastic crops to feed the world's hungry and a miracle cure-all for human disease? Or, as this book claims, is it an untried and inadequalty researched technology that is out of control with nightmarish results? The author aims to show how genetic determinism is at odds with the reality of scientific findings; gives rise to misguided practices and projects that are unethical and exploitative; and is hazardous to human and animal health and the ecological environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Brilliant
The ingenious author heartstopping book takes you beyond hardfacts of modern era of science into a mixed sequel of passion and technology.A must read masterpiece.Utterly compelling.

Please note this is the old edition
Please note this is the old edition

A far more important book than its title indicates
While Dr. Ho's book is indeed a warning about the hazards and inequities involved in uncontrolled and exploitative genetic engineering, it is also one of the most incisive and well-informed critiques of the orthodoxneo-Darwinian model of evolution by chance mutation and natural selection,addressing head-on the popular myths propagated by writers such as JacquesMonod, Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett.Ho's conception of evolution asa global organismic process rather than a gradual, random, piece-by-pieceaccretion is firmly founded on scientific evidence rather than on dogma andsuggests the possibility of integrating such a view with one in which theentire universe has conspired to produce and sustain life.It has beenfifty years since Monod pronounced the doctrine that evolution is"absolutely free but blind."The very notion of directed oradaptive mutations has been too long regarded as heresy by neo-Darwinistsand it is refreshing to hear a scientist of Ho's stature embracing andpresenting the evidence for it.

A timely warning about technology out of control
Dr. Ho has written a very important book that addresses in understandable language the threat posed by the alliance of corporations and technologists. She attacks shoddy science put to the use of corporate profit and shows that the potential threat of this poorly controlled technology is enormous. Transgenic disease, massive food crop failures and the potential for racist eugenics are only part of what she covers. The fact that corporations based in the industrial north can exclusively patent and control native plants that have existed for millenia under new laws is an appalling fact that could potentially turn all societies into forced consumers of corporately owned products that were previously freely available to all. This is a broadly based argument that addresses issues far beyond the laboratory and the board room and brings into question many of the presumptions we have about science, economics, medicine and ownership of the world's resources. An important book! ... Read more

Product Description

Genetic engineering has quickly become one of the more controversial issues of our time. Herring provides a detailed history of the debate in a fair and balanced manner, using proponents' points of view to make individual cases, both pro and con. Narrative chapters cover such topics as the Human Genome Project, gene splicing, cloning, genetically altered foods, and DNA and crime-solving.

Students and the general public will find a comprehensive survey of the genetic engineering debate. Appendices include statements from Robert P. George and Peter Singer, two of the most prominent scholars on the subject, and a bibliography of print and electronic resources for further research.

Customer Reviews (1)

An overview of genetics' primary controversies
Mark Y. Herring's GENETIC ENGINEERING narrows the focus to a history of the discipline's primary controversies and using proponents' viewpoints to provide pro/con discussions of individual cases. From scholarly assessments to debates between medical physicians and social scientists alike, chapters cover everything from a basic history of genetic engineering and scientists who influenced it to a coverage of social impacts on legislation, health and more. ... Read more

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As the field of genetic engineering continues to develop, a host of new ethical dilemmas are created. Many ethicists believe that it is our moral duty to pursue the new genetic technologies for the benefit of mankind. Others see this tinkering with nature as ethically unacceptable. This text debates the central issues of genetic modification, including human cloning, genetically modified foods and altering the genes of our descendants. (20020801) ... Read more

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A comprehensive guide to a powerful new analytical tool by two of its foremost innovators

The past decade has witnessed many exciting advances in the use of genetic algorithms (GAs) to solve optimization problems in everything from product design to scheduling and client/server networking. Aided by GAs, analysts and designers now routinely evolve solutions to complex combinatorial and multiobjective optimization problems with an ease and rapidity unthinkable withconventional methods. Despite the continued growth and refinement of this powerful analytical tool, there continues to be a lack of up-to-date guides to contemporary GA optimization principles and practices. Written by two of the world's leading experts in the field, this book fills that gap in the literature.

Taking an intuitive approach, Mitsuo Gen and Runwei Cheng employ numerous illustrations and real-world examples to help readers gain a thorough understanding of basic GA concepts-including encoding, adaptation, and genetic optimizations-and to show how GAs can be used to solve an array of constrained, combinatorial, multiobjective, and fuzzy optimization problems. Focusing on problems commonly encountered in industry-especially in manufacturing-Professors Gen and Cheng provide in-depth coverage of advanced GA techniques for:
* Reliability design
* Manufacturing cell design
* Scheduling
* Advanced transportation problems
* Network design and routing

Genetic Algorithms and Engineering Optimization is an indispensable working resource for industrial engineers and designers, as well as systems analysts, operations researchers, and management scientists working in manufacturing and related industries. It also makes an excellent primary or supplementary text for advanced courses in industrial engineering, management science, operations research, computer science, and artificial intelligence. ... Read more

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Thorough and well-organized reference
After an introductory review of the literature, Gen and Cheng write a chapter on each class of optimization problems that have been solved with genetic algorithms.Within the chapters they systematically describe eachtechnique that has been used to apply genetic algorithms to the particularproblem.Descriptions include the underlying math and a step-wiseprocedure for implementation.These are backed up with multiple graphs andillustrations, and copious references (737 references in all).A few moreactual examples would have helped, especially in the MultiobjectiveOptimization chapter.The clear organization and number of references makethis an excellent reference for the practitioner, but the level of detailcould make it difficult for someone new to the technique. ... Read more

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This second volume of the Metabolic Pathway Engineering Handbook delves into evolutionary tools and gene expression tools for metabolic pathway engineering. It covers applications of emerging technologies including recent research genome-wide technologies, DNA and phenotypic microarrays, and proteomics tools for experimentally determining flux through pathways. This volume also looks at emerging applications for producing fine chemicals, drugs, and alternative fuels.

Christine Smolke, who recently developed a novel way to churn out large quantities of drugs from genetically modified brewer’s yeast, is regarded as one of the most brilliant new minds in biomedical engineering. In this handbook, she brings together pioneering scientists from dozens of disciplines to provide a complete record of accomplishment in metabolic pathway engineering. With a wealth of cutting edge research and analysis, this work also serves as an invaluable resource for those seeking to add their own contributions. Organized by topic, this 3000 page reference is available as two volumes that can be purchased individually or as a set.

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