Genetics (non-medical) Books

Book SynopsisForward -- A Brave New World., Chapter 1.  From Genes to Genomes:  What's It All About?  ([Author's Note: Introduction; include short genetics history]., Chapter 2.  My Family's Medical History (and why it's important for me to know)., Chapter 3.  A Savior Sibling [Author's Note:  Preimplantation genetic diagnosis/Selection]., Chapter 4. Too Few, Too Many [Author's Note: Aneuploidy/Copy Number Variation]., Chapter 5. You've Probably Already Had a Genetic Test (But no one told you):   Newborn Screening., Chapter 6. Sweet Blood (Genetics and Diabetes)., Chapter 7.  Will this Drug Work for You? [Author's Note:  Pharmacogenetics/Creating a Drug Just for You]., Chapter 8.  No Two Cancers Are the Same [Author's Note:  Microarrays and Disease sub-classification]., Chapter 9.  Can We Fix our Faulty Genes? [Author's Note: Gene Therapy/Genome Editing-CRISPR]., Chapter 1Table of ContentsForward -- A Brave New World [Part I -- Introduction] Chapter 1. From Genes to Genomes: What’s It All About? ([Author’s Note: Introduction; include short genetics history] [Part II – Medical Applications] Chapter 2. My Family’s Medical History (and why it’s important for me to know) Chapter 3. A Savior Sibling [Author’s Note: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis/Selection] Chapter 4. Too Few, Too Many [Author’s Note: Aneuploidy/Copy Number Variation] Chapter 5. You’ve Probably Already Had a Genetic Test (But no one told you): Newborn Screening Chapter 6. Sweet Blood (Genetics and Diabetes) Chapter 7. Will this Drug Work for You? [Author’s Note: Pharmacogenetics/Creating a Drug Just for You] Chapter 8. No Two Cancers Are the Same [Author’s Note: Microarrays and Disease sub-classification] Chapter 9. Can We Fix our Faulty Genes? [Author’s Note: Gene Therapy/Genome Editing-CRISPR] Chapter 10. Hunting the Invisible Bugs through DNA (Author’s Note: Infectious disease/MRSA story) Chapter 11. Can Genes Explain Behavior? (Note: Behavioral Genetics/Gene x Environment) [Part III – Non-medical Applications] Chapter 12. The Not So Golden Age of Golden Rice {alternative title: Tastier (and Healthier) Foods through Genetic Technology} Chapter 13. Cleaning up the Environment: New Ways to Detect Land Mines and Digest Oil Chapter 14. Genetics and the Crime Scene: Just like TV? Chapter 15. Are We Related to Cavemen? [Alternative Title: Ancient Ancestors] [Author’s Note: Neanderthal/woolly mammoth/Population history/Redefining Race] Chapter 16. Creating New Life [Alternative Title: Bringing back Extinct Species] Chapter 17. Genetic Testing Without A Physician – A Brave New World [Author’s Note: Direct to Consumer Marketing] [move this to Part II?]

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Book SynopsisCompletely updated and revised, the third edition of this essential textbook describes the basic genetics of the horse including coat colour, parentage, medical and population genetics, cytogenetics, performance, breeding systems and genetic conservation, as well as the many recent advances in genomics. New for the third edition: - More information on genomics and biology have been included - There are two additional chapters on genetics with respect to infectious diseases and reproduction - Expanded sections on quantitative genetics and genomic selection provide comprehensive coverage - Many new figures further illustrate key points in the text - Redesigned in colour throughout and keeping the popular features of previous editions This authoritative text remains one of the key sources of information for basic genetic principles and their specific applications to the horse, and is essential for students of equine studies, animal breeding and veterinary science, as well as horse breeders and owners.Table of Contents1: Nature of Breeds 2: Evolution and Domestication 3: Equus 4: Fundamentals of Genetics 5: The Language of Genetics 6: Genomics 7: Black, Bay, and Chestnut (Extension and Agouti) 8: Color Diluting Genes 9: Tobiano, White, Sabino and Roan (KIT) 10: Frame Overo and Splashed White 11: Leopard Complex 12: Gray, Brindle, Curly and Tiger Eye 13: Putting it All Together: Color By Design 14: Parentage Testing 15: Blood Groups and Neonatal Isoerythrolysis 16: Medical Genetics 17: Cytogenetics 18: Major Genes, Quantitative Trait Loci and Marker Assisted Selection 19: Complex Traits 20: Pedigrees and Breeding Schemes 21: Microbiome and Mitochondria 22: Where Do We Go From Here?

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Book SynopsisSteve Jones's highly acclaimed, double prize-winning, bestselling first book is now fully revised to cover all the new genetic breakthroughs from GM food to Dolly the sheep.'An essential sightseer's guide to our own genetic terrain.' Peter Tallack, Sunday Telegraph'Superb and stimulatingan exhilarating trip around the double spiral of DNA, a rush of gravity-defying concepts and wild swerves of the scientific imagination.' J.G. Ballard, Daily Telegraph'Not so much divination as demystification An attempt to bring genetics and evolution more into the public domain. If, for instance, you ever wondered just what genetic engineering is about, here is as good a place as any to discover. Few have Jones's ability to communicate a difficult idea with such humour, clarity, precision and ease.' Laurence Hurst, Times Higher ; Sensitive to the social issues raised by genetics yet Jones's interest reaches beyond contemporary social issues to the human past, to what genetics can and cannot tell us ab

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Book SynopsisThe evolution of dogs and the forces that drove its amazing transformation from a fierce wild carnivore, the wolf, to the astonishing range of comparatively docile domesticated dogs that we know today.Sykes paints a vivid picture of the dog as an ancient and essential ally. While undoubtedly it was the mastery of fire, language and agriculture that propelled Homo sapiens from a scarce, medium-sized primate to the position we enjoy today, Sykes crucially credits a fourth element for this success: the transformation of the wolf into the multi-purpose helpmate that is the dog. Drawing upon archaeology, history and genetics, Sykes shows how humans evolved to become the dominant species on Earth, but only with the help of our canine companions.Trade ReviewPraise for The Wolf Within: ‘Fascinating’ The Times ‘Bryan Sykes belongs to the elite band of geneticists who can make their dizzying science at least partially clear to the layman’ Literary Review ‘Scientifically inclined dog lovers will find this a trove of information and provocation’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Rich with details about how humans have studied and shaped dog evolution … Sykes also has a gift for rendering complex concepts, such as mitochondrial DNA or genetic microsatellites, accessible to lay readers’ Publishers Weekly ‘Reading this is like having your own personal geneticist explain complex research papers in a way that is both comprehensible and fascinating. Heavily peppered with references to scientific papers that have documented the research on dog genetics, this also serves as a wealth of further reading material. Rich in accessible analogies that deftly explain complex scientific concepts, this is a must-read for anybody who has wondered about the origins of humans’ best friend’ Library Journal ‘In prose both scientific and poetic, geneticist and author Sykes, self-described as “not a dog person” but curious about the parallel evolution of dog and human, takes us through the archaeological, paleontological, behavioral, and genetic evidence pinpointing the transformation of wolf to dog … Woven throughout are possible answers to why humans are so in love with their dogs, making for a warmly engaging popular-science read’ Booklist Praise for Professor Bryan Sykes: ‘A terrific book, written with humour and humanity’ Sunday Times ‘An engrossing, bubbly read, a boy's own adventure in scientific storytelling that fairly bounces along … a thumping good read’ Observer ‘Sykes's wonderfully clear book should be compulsory reading for politicians … an eye-opening guide to the new branch of science that is changing the human race's view of itself’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisA cutting-edge examination of what it means to be human and to have a ''self'' in the face of new scientific developments in genetic editing, cloning and neural downloading.After seeing his own cells used to grow clumps of new neurons essentially mini-brains Philip Ball begins to examine the concepts of identity and consciousness. Delving into humanity''s deep evolutionary past to look at how complex creatures like us emerged from single-celled life, he offers a new perspective on how humans think about ourselves.In an age when we are increasingly encouraged to regard the ''self'' as an abstract sequence of genetic information, or as a pattern of neural activity that might be ''downloaded'' to a computer, he return us to the body to flesh and blood and anchors a conception of personhood in this unique and ephemeral mortal coil. How to Build a Human brings us back to ourselves but in doing so, it challenges old preconceptions and values. It asks us to rethink how we exist in the woTrade ReviewPraise for How to Grow a Human‘This is a deeply engaging crash course. Ball’s description of cellular organelles and their functions, in particular, is an impressive feat. And his sense of wonder at biological processes is palpable: passages on the intricacies of cell plasticity had me (with my doctorate in molecular biology) exclaiming, “That is incredible!”’Nature ‘Philip Ball weaves a compelling story of bodily creation … Highly readable and impeccably informed by research, How to Grow a Human revels in scientific possibility and confronts the social and ethical implications, while intelligently acknowledging what is as yet unknown’ The Lancet ‘[This] winding romp through advances in cell biology pushes readers to ponder the boundaries of life … The book offers a provocative, meandering take on the progression of groundbreaking biotechnological capabilities … absorbing ambitious and expansive … Ball’s look at the state of human-facing cutting edge bioscience is a thought-provoking read’ Science Praise for Philip Ball'Ball's book towers above the competition with its erudition, balance, and attention to detail… This is the most accessible, comprehensive, and provocative investigation of the science of music – and its limits – yet to be written.'Globe and Mail 'Excellent, smartly written'Financial Times ‘Ball is an exceptionally talented writer who manages to combine accessibility and thoroughness in razor-sharp prose’ Physics World 'Lucid and impressive'Prospect

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Book SynopsisPresents the principles of genetics - classical and modern - in a cartoon format. Anecdotes about how the ancients tried to explain sex determination and inheritance abound, making the learning of the concepts of Mendel's Laws, mutations, DNA and gene splicing easier to understand.

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Book SynopsisThe triumphs of recent biology - understanding hereditary disease, the modern theory of evolution - are all thanks to the fruit fly, the guinea pig, the zebra fish and a handful of other organisms, which have helped us unravel one of life''s greatest mysteries - inheritance.Jim Endersby traces his story from Darwin hand-pollinating passion flowers in his back garden in an effort to find out whether his decision to marry his cousin had harmed their children, to today''s high-tech laboratories, full of shoals of shimmering zebra fish, whose bodies are transparent until they are mature, allowing scientists to watch every step as a single fertilised cell multiples to become millions of specialised cells that make up a new fish. Each story has - piece by piece - revealed how DNA determines the characteristics of the adult organism. Not every organism was as cooperative as the fruit fly or zebra fish, some provided scientists with misleading answers or encouraged them to ask the wTrade Review'TRY to skim this book and you'll find yourself drawn into reading every word. Eye-opening and entertaining, this is cutting-edge history of science that everyone should read ... Throughout his gripping narrative, Jim Endersby shows how today's right answer is almost always tomorrow's wrong one.' * New Scientist *Endersby's technique is a wonderfully roundabout way of telling some of the great stories of modern biology. * Daily Mail *Jim Endersby has come up with a fresh and rewarding approach. He illuminates the story of our understanding of life since 1800... easily readable account of the remarkable progress biologists have made over the past two centuries. * Sunday Telegraph *A highly entertaining and original book...Endersby provides a new perspective on the history of genetics. * Sunday Times *With an enviable lightness of touch, Endersby weaves his scientific threads into a much broader tapestry of cultural history...[an] accessible and engaging account to find out how we got here. * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisSpanning the globe and several centuries, this is the story of the quest to decipher the master-code that makes and defines humans, that governs our form and function. It is also an intimate history of the author's own family and its recurring pattern of mental illness, reminding us that genetics is vitally relevant to everyday lives.Trade ReviewWith a marriage of architectural precision and luscious narrative, an eye for both the paradoxical detail and the unsettling irony, and a genius for locating the emotional truths buried in chemical abstractions, Mukherjee leaves you feeling as though you’ve just aced a college course for which you’d been afraid to register — and enjoyed every minute of it -- Andrew Solomon * Washington Post *[Siddhartha Mukherjee] is the perfect person to guide us through the past, present, and future of genome science… It is up to all of us—not just scientists, government officials, and people fortunate enough to lead foundations—to think hard about these new technologies and how they should and should not be used. Reading The Gene will get you the point where you can actively engage in that debate. -- Bill Gates * Gatesnotes *The Gene is prodigious, sweeping, and ultimately transcendent. If you’re interested in what it means to be human, today and in the tomorrows to come, you must read this book. -- Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot SeeDramatic and precise... [A] thrilling and comprehensive account of what seems certain to be the most radical, controversial and, to borrow from the subtitle, intimate science of our time... He is a natural storyteller... A page-turner... Read this book and steel yourself for what comes next. -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *The story […] has been told, piecemeal, in different ways, but never before with the scope and grandeur that Siddhartha Mukherjee brings to his new history, The Gene. He fully justifies the claim that it is “one of the most powerful and dangerous ideas in the history of science.” … Definitive -- James Gleick * New York Times Book Review *

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Trade ReviewPraise for the Series: "Outstanding both in variety and in the quality of its contributions." --NatureTable of ContentsPart-1 Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Regeneration: From Cells to Tissues to Organs 1. Craniofacial Muscle Development Inbal Michailovici, Tamar Eigler and Eldad Tzahor 2. Mandible and Tongue Development Carolina Parada 3. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Palatogenesis Yu Lan, Jingyue Xu and Rulang Jiang 4. Genetic Influences on Temporomandibular Joint Development and Growth Robert J Hinton, J Jing and JQ Feng 5. Regulatory Mechanisms Driving Salivary Gland Organogenesis Belinda R. Hauser and Matthew P. Hoffman 6. The Development of the Calvarial Bones and Sutures and the Pathophysiology of Craniosynostosis Mamoru Ishii, Jingjing Sun, Man-Chun Ting and Robert E. Maxson 7. Tissue Interactions Regulating Tooth Morphogenesis and Renewal Anamaria Balic and Irma Thesleff 8. Stem Cells in to Toth Development, Repair and Regeneration Tian Yu, Ana Angelova Volponi, Rebecca Babb, Zhengwen An and Paul T Sharpe 9. Development and integration of the Ear Jennifer C. Fuchs and Abigail S. Tucker Part- 2 Craniofacial Patterning and Signaling Mechanisms 10. Zebrafish Craniofacial Development: A Window Into Early Patterning Lindsey Mork and Gage Crump 11. Regulation of Jaw Length During Development, Disease, and Evolution Richard A. Schneider 12. Facial Morphogenesis: Physical and Molecular Interactions Between the Brain and Face Ralph Marcucio, Benedikt Hallgrimsson and Nathan M. Young 13. Developmental Plasticity of Patterned and Regenerating Oral Organs J. Todd Streelman, Ryan F. Bloomquist and Teresa E. Fowler 14. Regulating Craniofacial Development at the 3’ End: MicroRNAs and their Function in Facial Morphogenesis Andre L.P. Tavares, Kristin B. Artinger and David E. Clouthier 15. Transcription Factors in Craniofacial Development: From Receptor Signaling to Transcriptional and Epigenetic Regulation Yongchao Gou, Tingwei Zhang and Jian Xu Part- 3 Disease Models, Human Genetics, Genomics and Dynamic Imaging 16. Mouse Models of Rare Craniofacial Disorders Annita Achilleos and Paul A. Trainor 17. From Bench to Bedside and Back: Improving Diagnosis and Treatment of Craniofacial Malformations Utilizing Animal Models Alice F. Goodwin, Rebecca Kim, Jeffrey O. Bush and Ophir D. Klein 18. Signaling Pathways in Craniofacial Development: Insights from Rare Skeletal Disorders Cynthia L. Neben and Amy E. Merrill 19. Clinical and Genomic Approaches for the Diagnosis of Craniofacial Disorders Pedro A.Sanchez-Lara 20. Morphometrics, 3D Imaging, and Craniofacial Development Benedikt Hallgrimsson, Christopher J. Percival, Rebecca Green ,Nathan M. Young, Washington Mio and Ralph Marcucio 21. Imaging the Cell and Molecular Dynamics of Craniofacial Development Le A. Trinh and Scott E. Fraser

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book provides a comprehensive overview of genome stability that should be of great interest to any researcher within this area of expertise." --The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol.92, No. 4Table of Contents1. Genome stability – an evolutionary perspective Igor Kovalchuk I. Genome Instability of Viruses 2. Genetic Instability of RNA Viruses John N. Barr and Rachel Fearns 3. Genome instability in DNA viruses Rafael Sanjuán, Marianoel Pereira-Gómez, Jennifer Risso II. Genome instability in Bacteria and Archaea 4. Genome instability in bacteria and archaea: Strategies for maintaining genome stability Jan-Erik Messling and Ashley B. Williams 5. Genome instability in bacteria: causes and consequences Ashley B. Williams 6. CRISPR - bacteria immune system Andrey Golubov III. Genome Stability of Unicellular Eukaryotes 7. Programmed DNA rearrangement in ciliates Franziska Jönsson 8. Homologous Recombination and Non-homologous End-joining repair in yeast Rebecca E. Jones and Timothy C. Humphrey IV. Genome stability in multicellular eukaryotes 9. Meiotic and Mitotic Recombination: First in Flies Julie Korda Holsclaw, Talia Hatkevich and Jeff Sekelsky 10. Genome stability in Drosophila – mismatch repair and genome stability Tomoe Negishi 11. Genome stability in Caenorhabditis elegans Matthias Rieckher, Amanda Franqueira C. Lopes and Björn Schumacher 12. Genetic Engineering of Plants using Zn-fingers, TALENs and CRISPRs Andriy Bilichak and Francois Eudes 13. Plant Genome Stability – General Mechanisms Andriy Bilichak V. Genome stability in mammals 14. Cell cycle control and DNA damage signalling in mammals Valenti Gomez and Alexander Hergovich 15. The role of p53/p21/p16 in DNA damage signalling and DNA repair Yavuz Kulaberoglu, Ramazan Gundogdu, and Alexander Hergovich 16. Roles of RAD18 in DNA Replication and Post-Replication Repair (PRR) Cyrus Vaziri, Satoshi Tateishi, Liz Mutter-Rottmayer and Yanzhe Gao 17. Base Excision Repair and Nucleotide Excision Repair Tadahide Izumi and Isabel Mellon 18. DNA Mismatch Repair in Mammals Mingzhang Yang and Peggy Hsieh 19. Repair of double strand breaks by non-homologous end joining; its components and their function Patryk Moskwa 20. Double-Strand Break Repair: Homologous Recombination in Mammalian Cells Camille Gelot, Tangui Le-Guen, Sandrine Ragu and Bernard S. Lopez 21. Telomere maintenance and genome stability Wilnelly Hernandez-Sanchez, Mengyuan Xu and Derek J. Taylor 22. The relationship between checkpoint adaptation and mitotic catastrophe in genomic changes in cancer cells Lucy H. Swift and Roy M. Golsteyn 23. Chromatin, nuclear organization and genome stability in mammals Lora Boteva, Nick Gilbert 24. Role of DNA methylation in genome stability Dan Zhou and Keith D. Robertson 25. Non-coding RNAs in genome integrity Igor Kovalchuk VI. Human diseases associated with genome instability 26. Human diseases associated with genome instability Bruno César Feltes, Joice de Faria Poloni, Kendi Nishino Miyamoto and Diego Bonatto 27. Cancer and genomic instability Wei Wei, Yabin Cheng and Bo Wang 28. Chromatin Modifications in DNA Repair and Cancer Margaret Renaud-Young, Karl Riabowol and Jennifer Cobb 29. Genomic Instability and Aging – Causes and Consequences Corinne Sidler 30. Nucleolar contributions to DNA damage response and genomic (in)stability in the nervous system Michal Hetman VII. Effect of environment on genome stability 31. Diet and nutrition Lynnette R. Ferguson 32. Chemical mutagenesis 33. Environmental sources of ionizing radiation and their health consequences Aaron A. Goodarzi, Alexander Anikin, Dustin D. Pearson Section VIII. Bystander and transgenerational effects – epigenetic perspective 34. Epigenetics of transgenerational genome instability in mammals 35. Genomic Instability and the Spectrum of Response to Low Radiation Doses Carmel Mothersill and Colin Seymour 36. Transgenerational genome instability in plants Igor Kovalchuk 37. Methods for the detection of DNA damage Denis V. Firsanov, Ljudmila V. Solovjeva, Vyacheslav M. Mikhailov, Maria P. Svetlova 38. Conserved and divergent features of DNA repair. Future perspectives in genome instability research Igor Kovalchuk

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Dynamics and function of DNA methylation during development 2. Histone modifications in pluripotency and differentiation 3. ATP-dependent Chromatin remodelling: from early development to cancer 4. Regulation of cellular identity by Polycomb and Trithorax proteins 5. Crosstalk between chromatin marks at regulatory elements 6. Chromatin modifications and transcriptional noise in cell fate decision 7. Chromatin dynamics during the cell cycle 8. Chromatin dynamics and DNA repair 9. Epigenetic regulation of replication and replication timing 10. Interplay between chromatin and splicing 11. Nuclear lipids and the regulation of chromatin 12. Nuclear architecture and epigenetic memories: Heterochromatin formation in development, senescence and cancer 13. Noncoding RNAs and the third dimension of the epigenome 14. Epigenetic control of the nucleolus 15. X chromosome inactivation in 3D 16. Telomere maintenance in the dynamic nuclear architecture 17. Interaction between cellular metabolic states and chromatin dynamics 18. Circadian plasticity of the epigenome 19. The epigenome at the gene-environment interface in complex disease

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsSection I. Genomics and the eye 1. Genetic disorders and genetic variants 2. Genetic testing techniques 3. Genetic variant interpretation 4. Genetic counselling and family support 5. Syndromic conditions and the eye 6. Ophthalmic phenotyping. Electrophysiology 7. Ophthalmic phenotyping. Imaging 8. Gene therapy and treatment trials Section II. Genetic disorders affecting the anterior segment 9. Genetic disorders affecting the cornea 10. Anterior segment developmental disorders 11. Cataract 12. Ectopia lentis Section III. Genetic disorders affecting the posterior segment 13. Genetic disorders affecting the retina, choroid and RPE 14. Familial vitreoretinopathies 15. Genetic disorders affecting the optic nerve Section IV. Genetic disorders affecting both the anterior and posterior segment 16. Developmental eye disorders 17. Aniridia 18. Albinism Section V. Genetic disorders affecting ocular motility 19. Infantile nystagmus 20. Congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders 21. Progressive external ophthalmoplegia Section VI. Tumour predisposition syndromes 22. Phakomatoses 23. Naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome 24. Congenital hypertrophy of retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE) 25. Retinoblastoma

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. History of the identification of gigantism and acromegaly Liliya Rostomyan, Albert Beckers and Patrick Petrossians 2. Pathology of pituitary growth hormone excess Sylvia L. Asa and Shereen Ezzat 3. Gigantism: clinical diagnosis and description, Iulia Potorac Liliya Rostomyan, Adrian F. Daly, Patrick Petrossians and Albert Beckers 4. Acromegaly: clinical description and diagnosis Kevin C.J. Yuen and Albert Becker 5. GPR101, an orphan G-protein coupled receptor, with roles in growth, puberty, and possibly appetite regulation Fady Hannah-Shmouni and Constantine A. Stratakis 6. The role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein in pituitary tumorigenesis Laura C. Herna´ndez-Rami´rez 7. The 3PAs syndrome and succinate dehydrogenase deficiency in pituitary tumors Paraskevi Xekouki, Vasiliki Daraki, Grigoria Betsi, Maria Chrysoulaki, Maria Sfakiotaki, Maria Mytilinaiou and Constantine A. Stratakis 8. CDKN1B (p27) defects leading to pituitary tumors Sebastian Gulde and Natalia S. Pellegata 9. Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes and somatotroph adenomas Carolina R.C. Pieterman and Steven G. Waguespack 10. GNAS, McCuneErika Peverelli, Donatella Treppiedi, Federica Mangili Rosa Catalano and Giovanna Mantovani 11. Surgical management of growth hormone-secreting adenomas Elizabeth Hogan and Prashant Chittiboina 12. Medical management of pituitary gigantism and acromegaly Adrian F. Daly and Albert Beckers 13. GHRH-producing tumors and other neuroendocrine neoplasms associated with acromegaly and/or gigantism Sara Pakbaz, Anjelica Hodgson and Ozgur Mete 14. Increased growth hormone secretion from lesions outside the anterior pituitary Christina Tatsi and Constantine A. Stratakis

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Book Synopsis“Venter instills awe for biology as it is, and as it might become in our hands.” —Publishers WeeklyOn May 20, 2010, headlines around the world announced one of the most extraordinary accomplishments in modern science: the creation of the world’s first synthetic lifeform. In Life at the Speed of Light, scientist J. Craig Venter, best known for sequencing the human genome, shares the dramatic account of how he led a team of researchers in this pioneering effort in synthetic genomics—and how that work will have a profound impact on our existence in the years to come. This is a fascinating and authoritative study that provides readers an opportunity to ponder afresh the age-old question “What is life?” at the dawn of a new era of biological engineering.

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Book Synopsis• A New York Times Notable Book •“The richest, freshest, most fun book on genetics in some time.” —The New York Times Book Review We are doomed to repeat history if we fail to learn from it, but how are we affected by the forces that are invisible to us? In The Invisible History of the Human Race Christine Kenneally draws on cutting-edge research to reveal how both historical artifacts and DNA tell us where we come from and where we may be going. While some books explore our genetic inheritance and popular television shows celebrate ancestry, this is the first book to explore how everything from DNA to emotions to names and the stories that form our lives are all part of our human legacy. Kenneally shows how trust is inherited in Africa, silence is passed down in Tasmania, and how the history of nations is written in our DNA. From fateful, anci

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Book SynopsisThis book reverses the trend towards the biology getting lost in molecular detail by cutting through the information overload and placing the new sequence-derived information in the context of the natural history of the organism in question.Table of ContentsPreface Glossary Part I: An Introduction to the Background Science 1: The role of nucleic acid analysis in understanding infectious diseases 2: Some common factors involved in host-pathogen relations 3: The Three Great Pandemics of Plague Part II: Bacterial Pathogens 4: A Multifaceted Pathogen: Escherichia coli 5: Fever and Food Poisoning: The Two Faces of Salmonella 6: Understanding Pathogen Populations: Klebsiella pneumoniae 7: A Surprising Pathogen: Vibrio cholerae 8: The Accidental Pathogen: Legionella pneumophila 9: Two Related Pathogens, One Ancient and One New 10: Helicobacter pylori and Gastric Ulcers 11: A Tale of Two Pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas syringae 12: The Enigmatic Pathogens: Syphilis, Yaws, Pinta, and Bejel 13: Mycobacterial Mysteries: Tuberculosis and Leprosy 14: Plasmids and Pathogenicity: The Bacillus cereus Complex 15: Tracking the Origins of Clostridium difficile Infections 16: Tracking Horizontal Gene Transfer: Staphylococcus aureus 17: The Inadvertent Pathogen: Borrelia burgdorferi and Lyme Disease 18: Phytoplasmas: Bacteria that Manipulate Plants and Insects 19: The Most Influential Bacterium: Wolbachia pipientis Part III: Eukaryotic Pathogens 20: The Ubiquitous Pathogen: Trichomonas vaginalis 21: The Greatest Killer of All Times: The Malarial Parasite 22: An Environmental Opportunistic Pathogen: Cryptococcus 23: The Most Famous Plant Pathogen: Phytophthora infestans Part IV 24: A Virus That Promotes Its Own Transfer: Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus 25: Morbilliviruses: Measles, Rinderpest and Canine Distemper 26: Filovirus Haemorrhagic Fevers: Marburg Virus and Ebola 27: The Origins of HIV and the AIDS Pandemic 28: The Benefits of a Segmented Genome: Influenza 29: Third Time Unlucky: SARS, MERS, and Covid-19 Part V: Some Unifying Themes 30: Zoonotic Diseases 31: Some Common Pathogenicity Themes

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Book SynopsisThis accessible and entertaining book explores the fundamental connections between life and information and how they emerged inextricably linked, taking the reader on a journey through all the major evolutionary transitions. It records the entire path of how life''s information has evolved, starting from the growing polymers of prelife leading to the first replicators, through RNA and DNA to neural networks and animal brains, continuing through the major transition of human language and writing, into computer clouds, and finally heading towards an unknown future.All currently known life is based on three classes of molecules: proteins - life''s main structural and functional building blocks; DNA - life''s information molecule; and RNA - a molecule that provides the link between these two. Despite the existence of language and the new means of information recording and processing it enabled, at the current stage of life''s evolution, the information stored in the natural repository of oTable of ContentsPreface 1: How to clone oneself? 2: Self-organising molecules 3: Informed self-organisation 4: The simplest life 5: Evolving replicators 6: Life on Earth 7: Evolution as a ratchet of information 8: From DNA to language 9: Epilogue - beyond language

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Book SynopsisIn what will certainly be one of the key works in the emerging science of complexity, Kauffman here presents a brilliant new paradigm for evolutionary biology. It extends the basic concepts of Darwinian evolution to accommodate recent findings and perspectives from the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. The book drives to the heart of the exciting debate on the origins of life and maintenance of order in complex biological systems. It focuses on the concept of self-organization - the first time this concept has been incorporated into evolutionary theory. The book shows how complex systems, contrary to expectations, can spontaneously exhibit stunning degrees of order, and how this order in turn is essential for the emergence and development of life on Earth. Origins of Order will advance our understanding of evolution and provoke considerable discussion among evolutionary, molecular, and developmental biologists.Trade Review. . . an integrative book that will become a landmark and a classic as we grope towards a more comprehensive and satisfying theory of evolution. * Stephen Jay Gould *Stuart Kauffman's book . . . is a global representation of a new field, that will greatly enhance our physical understanding of Nature . . . A superb reading, not limited to physicists and biologists, having most important implications in natural philosophy. * Manfred Eigen *Here is a big book with a big purpose. . . . The Origins of Order is the first book to be written by any of the complexity theorists themselves, and it presents Kauffman's view of the biological realm. . . . The Origins of Order will be seen as a major work in the progression of biological theory. At the very least, Kauffman has made a persuasive case to have his bold hypothesis heard. * Roger Lewin *Table of ContentsPART I: ADAPTATION ON THE EDGE OF CHAOS; PART II: THE CRYSTALLIZATION OF LIFE; PART III: ORDER AND ONTOGENY

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Book SynopsisDeath, for bacteria, is not inevitable. Protect a bacterium from predators, and provide it with adequate food and space to grow, and it would continue living--and reproducing asexually--forever. But a paramecium (a slightly more advanced single-cell organism), under the same ideal conditions, would stop dividing after about 200 generations--and die. Death, for paramecia and their offspring, is inevitable. Unless they have sex. If at any point during that 200 or so generations, two of the progeny of our paramecium have sex, their clock will be reset to zero. They and their progeny are granted another 200 generations. Those who fail to have sex eventually die. Immortality for bacteria is automatic; for all other living beings--including humans--immortality depends on having sex. But why is this so? Why must death be inevitable? And what is the connection between death and sexual reproduction? In Sex and the Origins of Death, William R. Clark looks at life and death at the level of the cell, as he addresses such profound questions as why we age, why death exists, and why death and sex go hand in hand. Clark reveals that there are in fact two kinds of cell death--accidental death, caused by extreme cold or heat, starvation, or physical destruction, and programmed cell death, initiated by codes embedded in our DNA. (Bacteria have no such codes.) We learn that every cell in our body has a self-destruct program embedded into it and that cell suicide is in fact a fairly commonplace event. We also discover that virtually every aspect of a cell''s life is regulated by its DNA, including its own death, that the span of life is genetically determined (identical twins on average die 36 months apart, randomly selected siblings 106 months apart), that human tissue in culture will divide some 50 times and then die (an important exception being tumor cells, which divide indefinitely). But why do our cells have such programs? Why must we die? To shed light on this question, Clark reaches far back in evolutionary history, to the moment when inevitable death (death from ageing) first appeared. For cells during the first billion years, death, when it occurred, was accidental; there was nothing programmed into them that said they must die. But fierce competition gradually led to multicellular animals--size being an advantage against predators--and with this change came cell specialization and, most important, germ cells in which reproductive DNA was segregated. When sexual reproduction evolved, it became the dominant form of reproduction on the planet, in part because mixing DNA from two individuals corrects errors that have crept into the code. But this improved DNA made DNA in the other (somatic) cells not only superfluous, but dangerous, because somatic DNA might harbour mutations. Nature''s solution to this danger, Clark concludes, was programmed death--the somatic cells must die. Unfortunately, we are the somatic cells. Death is necessary to exploit to the fullest the advantages of sexual reproduction. In Sex and the Origins of Death, William Clark ranges far and wide over fascinating terrain. Whether describing a 62-year-old man having a major heart attack (and how his myocardial cells rupture and die), or discussing curious life-forms that defy any definition of life (including bacterial spores, which can regenerate after decades of inactivity, and viruses, which are nothing more than DNA or RNA wrapped in protein), this brilliant, profound volume illuminates the miraculous workings of life at its most elemental level and finds in these tiny spaces the answers to some of our largest questions.Trade ReviewAnyone who reckons that science writing is dry stuff may find their outlook broadened by this little book about the biology of death. * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisDevelopmental Plasticity and Evolution is the first comprehensive synthesis on development and evolution: it applies to all aspects of development, at all levels of organization and in all organisms, taking advantage of modern findings on behaviour, genetics, endocrinology, molecular biology, evolutionary theory and phylogenetics to show the connections between developmental mechanisms and evolutionary change. This book solves key problems that have impeded a definitive synthesis in the past. It uses new concepts and specific examples to show how to relate environmentally sensitive development to the genetic theory of adaptive evolution and to explain major patterns of change.In this book development includes not only embryology and the ontogeny of morphology, sometimes portrayed inadequately as governed by regulatory genes, but also behavioural development and psychological adaptation, where plasticity is mediated by genetically complex mechanisms like hormones and learning. The book Trade ReviewNo other treatment of development and evolution since Darwin's offers such a comprehensive and critical discussion of the relevant issues. * Ethology Ecology & Evolution *The arguments of this book call for a new view of the major themes of evolutionary biology. * Ethology Ecology & Evolution *This book satisfies the need for a truly general book on development, plasticity and evolution that applies to living organisms in all of their life stages and environments. * Ethology Ecology & Evolution *This book solves key problems that have impeded a definitive sythesis in the past. * Ethology Ecology & Evolution *The first comprehensive synthesis on development and evolution. * Ethology Ecology & Evolution *Table of ContentsPart 1: Framework for a Synthesis ; 1. Gaps and Inconsistencies in Modern Evolutionary Thought ; 2. Material for a Synthesis ; 3. The Nature of the Phenotype: Plasticity ; 4. The Nature of the Phenotype: Modularity ; 5. Development ; 6. Adaptive Evolution ; 7. General Principles of Development and Evolution ; 8. Darwin's Theory of Development and Evolution ; Part 2: The Origins of Novelty ; 9. The Nature and Analysis of Phenotype Transitions ; 10. Duplication ; 11. Deletion ; 12. Reversion ; 13. Heterochrony ; 14. Heterotopy ; 15. Cross-sexual Transfer ; 16. Correlated Shifts in Quantitative Traits ; 17. Combinational Evolution at the Molecular Level ; 18. Phenotypic Recombination by Learning ; 19. Recurrent Phenotypes ; Part 3: Alternative Phenotypes ; 20. Alternative Pheontypes as a Phase of Evolution ; 21. Divergence without Speciation ; 22. Maintenance without Equilibrium ; 23. Assessment ; Part 4: Developmental Plasticity and the Major Themes of Evolutionary Biology ; 24. Gradualism ; 25. Homology ; 26. Environmental Modifications ; 27. Speciation ; 28. Adaptive Radiation ; 29. Macroevolution ; 30. Punctuation ; 31. One Final Word: Sex

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Book SynopsisThis text unifies conceptual and empirical advances in evolutionary ecology and provides a volume that can be used as a primary textbook or supplemental reading in an advanced undergraduate or graduate course. The focus is on current concepts in evolutionary ecology and the empirical study of these concepts. Chapters are written by prominent biologists who have made significant contributions to this field and both synthesize the current state of knowledge and identify areas for future investigation. It is divided into five major sections: an overview of the major topics in evolutionary biology for ecologists, and sections on life histories, behaviour, co-evolution, and adaptation to anthropogenic change.Trade Review"[A]n excellent overview of research in evolutionary ecology. The book is extremely up-to-date, authoritative, well written, and ... well produced. ... The editors certainly are to be commended on the list of authors that they have gathered. The table of contents reads like a miniature who's who of evolutionary ecology ... The authors and editors have done a better job of referring between chapters than in any other edited volume I have read. ... a valuable book for a wide audience."--Ecology "This work introduces many of the important topics in evolutionary ecology. ... [the] chapters [are] written almost exclusively by notable scientists ..."--Choice "[E]ven experts working within particular areas of the field will find many of the chapters outside their primary area of research interesting and stimulating ... the 35 authors constitute a vertiable "who's who" in the field. ... the breadth of coverage is impressive ... In many respects the book has a cohesiveness usually found only in single authored works."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Evolutionary ecology, according to the editors of this collection of essays, combines the two approaches to examine variation in organisms in relation to both past and the present. Edited collections often disappoint but this one does not. One factor in its success is the broad, conceptual theme given to each contribution, covering such topics as variation, natural selection, adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, population structure, inbreeding and outbreeding. . .Each essay sets out the theoretical basis for the topic covered and then it illustrates it with experimental and field examples. . .The level at which the essays are constructed would be suitable for advanced undergraduate studies and ideal for postgraduate students wishing to assimilate an authoritative account on the subject and should be introduced to the current literature. All teachers in such courses should certainly have this book on their shelves."--British Ecological Society "It is a daunting task to develop an integrated text that successfully draws from the diverse disciplines within ecology and evolutionary biology, yet Fox et al. have done this quite well.This text should prove especially useful to professors seeking a well-organized and thorough volume for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses focusing on evolutionary ecology. ..Given the void of textbooks for teaching evolutionary ecology at the graduate level and the high quality of this volume, we expect Fox et al.'s text to become a standard reader for evolution and ecology graduate programmes, as well as for researchers seeking an up-to-date overview of evolutionary ecology research."--Animal Behaviour "Provides an overview of evolutionary ecology, a field spanning the disciplines of ecology and evolutionary biology and incorporating the techniques and approaches of each. Chapters are written by prominent researchers and are organized into five sections: themes in evolutionary ecology, life histories, behavior, co-evolution, and adaptation to anthropogenic change. For researchers seeking a current overview and graduate or advanced undergraduate students seeking an introduction to the field."--SciTech Book News "[A]n excellent overview of research in evolutionary ecology. The book is extremely up-to-date, authoritative, well written, and ... well produced. ... The editors certainly are to be commended on the list of authors that they have gathered. The table of contents reads like a miniature who's who of evolutionary ecology ... The authors and editors have done a better job of referring between chapters than in any other edited volume I have read. ... a valuable book for a wide audience."--Ecology "This work introduces many of the important topics in evolutionary ecology. ... [the] chapters [are] written almost exclusively by notable scientists ..."--Choice "[E]ven experts working within particular areas of the field will find many of the chapters outside their primary area of research interesting and stimulating ... the 35 authors constitute a vertiable "who's who" in the field. ... the breadth of coverage is impressive ... In many respects the book has a cohesiveness usually found only in single authored works."--The Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPART 1: RECURRING THEMES ; 1. Nature and Causes of Variation ; 2. Evolutionary Significance of Variation ; 3. Natural Selection ; 4. Adaptation ; 5. Phenotypic Plasticity ; 6. Population Structure ; 7. Inbreeding and Outbreeding ; PART 2: LIFE HISTORIES ; 8. Age and Size at Maturity ; 9. Offspring Size and Number ; 10. Senescence ; 11. Life Cycles ; 12. Sex and Gender ; 13. Sex Ratios and Sex Allocation ; 14. Ecological Specialization and Generalization ; PART 3: BEHAVIOR ; 15. Mating Systems ; 16. Sexual Selection ; 17. Cooperation and Altruism ; 18. Foraging Behaviour ; 19. The Evolutionary Ecology of Management ; PART 4: INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS ; 20. Ecological Character Displacement ; 21. Predator-Prey Interactions ; 22. Parasite-Host Interactions ; 23. Plant-Herbivore Interactions ; 24. Mutualisms ; 25. The Geographic Dynamics of Coevolution ; PART 5: ADAPTATION TO ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGE ; 26. Pesticide Resistance ; 27. Predicting the Outcome of Biological Control ; 28. Evolutionary Conservation Biology ; REFERENCES ; INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis book gives an overview of the potential and the practical details that need to be resolved to make human germline engineering possible. Chapters present the ethical and social concerns and implications of the fast-approaching capability to alter the human germline and take an active role in the future evolution of the species.Trade ReviewThe book should be commended for bringing to the fore the possibilityof germline manipulation within the next decade * New Genetics & Society *...interesting reading. * Heredity *The participants, mostly drawn from Us academic institutions, fall into three categories: eminent practising scientists; panelists, including James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA; and commentators- scientists, ethcicists and theologians * Nature *Table of ContentsSection One ; 1. A vision for human germline engineering ; 2. The human genome project - launch pad for human genetic engineering ; 3. Ethics and Safety ; 4. Human germline gene therapy: how and why ; 5. A new front in the battel against disease ; 6. Aging as a target for genetic engineering ; 7. Reprogenetics: how reproductive and genetic technolgies will be combined to provide new opportunities for people to reach their reproductive goals ; Section Two ; Panel: The road ahead ; Section Three"R ; 1. Other voices - Introduction ; 2. Parental choices ; 3. Thoughts on the... ; 4. The psycho-social limits on human germline modification ; 5. Do we know ourselves well enough to be engineering humans? ; 6. Germline manipulation ; 7. Maximize parental choice ; 8. Our societal obligations for keeping human nature untouched ; 9. The question of purpose ; 10. Gene modification technology ; 11. Justice and the germline ; 12. Human germ line intervention: What's the fuss about? ; 13. Germline culture: The genetics of hubris ; 14. Liberty, equality, and solidarity in our genetically engineered future ; 15. Would humanity be better off...Or, what would it be better for? ; 16. Human dignity should not keep us from genetically engineering our children ; 17. Universal bioethics for the human germline ; 18. Multi-jurisdiction regulation of germline intervention 'A policy with neither virtue nor prospect of success ; Section 4. Chapter Contributors and Essay Contributors

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Book SynopsisThis book presents the statistical methods that are useful in the study of molecular evolution and illustrates how to use them in actual data analysis. Molecular evolution has been developing at a great pace over the past decade or so, driven by the huge increase in genetic sequence data from many organisms, the improvement of high-speed microcomputers, and the development of several new methods for phylogenetic analysis. This book for graduate students and researchers, assuming a basic knowledge of evolution, molecular biology, and elementary statistics, should make it possible for many investigators to incorporate refined statistical analysis of large-scale data in their own work. Nei is one of the leading workers in this area. He and Kumar have developed a computer program called MEGA, which has been sold for about $20 to over 1900 users. For the book, the authors are thoroughly revising MEGA and will make it available via FTP. The book also included analysis using the other most poTrade ReviewIt is worth its price * Plant Systematics and Evolution *Table of Contents1. Molecular basis of evolution ; 2. Evolutionary changes of amino acid sequences ; 3. Evolutionary changes of DNA sequences ; 4. Synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions ; 5. Phylogenetic trees ; 6. Phylogenetic inference: Distance methods ; 7. Phylogenetic inference: Maximum parsimony methods ; 8. Phylogenetic inference: Maximum likelihood methods ; 9. Accuracies and statistical tests of phylogenetic trees ; 10. Molecular clocks and linearized trees ; 11. Ancestral nucleotide and amino acid sequences ; 12. Genetic polymorphism and evolution ; 13. Population trees from genetic markers ; 14. Perspectives ; Appendices ; A. Mathematical sumbols and notations ; B. Geological timescale ; C. Geological events in the Cenozoic and Meszoic eras ; D. Evolution of organisms based on the fossil record

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Book SynopsisA new voice in the nature-nurture debate can be heard at the interface between evolution and development. Phenotypic integration--or, how large numbers of characteristics are related to make up the whole organism, and how these relationships evolve and change their function--is a major growth area in research, attracting the attention of evolutionary biologists, developmental biologists, and geneticists, as well as, more broadly, ecologists, physiologists, and paleontologists. This edited collection presents much of the best and most recent work the topic.Trade ReviewI think this volume will provide stimulating reading for most students, teachers and researchers in a variety of biological disciplines. HeredityTable of ContentsForeword: The diversity of complexity ; Phenotypic Integration: Studying the Ecology and Evolution of Complex Phenotypes ; SECTION I: ADAPTATION AND CONSTRAINTS ; 1. Floral integration, modularity, and accuracy: distinguishing complex adaptations from genetic constraints ; 2. Integration and modularity in the evolution of sexual ornaments: An overlooked perspective ; 3. the Evolution of allometry in modular organisms ; 4. Phenotypic integration as a constraint and adaptation ; 5. Evolvability, stabilizing selection, and the problem of stasis ; SECTION II: PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY AND INTEGRATION ; 6. Studying the plasticity of phenotypic integration in a model organism ; 7. Integrating phenotypic plasticity when death is on the line: Insights from predator-prey systems ; SECTION III: GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PHENOTYPIC INTEGRATION ; 8. QTL Mapping: a first step towards an understanding of molecular genetic mechanisms behind phenotypic complexity/integration ; 9. Integration, modules, and development: molecules to morphology to evolution ; 10. Studying mutational effects on G-matrices ; SECTION IV: MACROEVOLUTIONARY PATTERNS IN PHENOTYPIC INTEGRATION ; 11. the Macroevolution of phenotypic integration ; 12. Form, Function and Life-History: Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Integration ; 13. Morphological Integration in Primate Evolution ; SECTION V: THEORY AND ANALYSIS OF PHENOTYPIC INTEGRATION ; 14. Phylogenetic comparative analysis of multivariate data ; 15. The Evolution of genetic architecture ; 16. Multivariate phenotypic evolution in developmental hyperspace ; 17. the Relativism of constraints on phenotypic evolution ; 18. The Developmental Systems Perspective: Organism-environment systems as units of development and evolution ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis edition of Are We Hardwired addresses the role of genes in governing behaviour. It explains the genetic and molecular basis of human behaviour within the broader context of animal behaviour generally. Behaviour is treated as a complex interaction of nature and nurture; to understand ourselves fully, neither can be dismissed out of hand.Trade ReviewThis book tells the story of how genes and other aspects of biology such as pheromones and neurotransmitters affect important behaviours such as aggression, eating disorders, drug use and abuse, sexual preference, learning and memory, and mental function. The story begins with the real stars of genetic research - sea slugs, roundworms, and fruit flies - and builds up to what we know about our own species. The story is told in a captivating way--exciting yet erudite. Excellent! * Robert Plomin, MRC Research Professor, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London and author of the upcoming fourth edition of Behaviour Genetics *Are we hardwired? Do billion-year old genes play an important role in human behaviour? Pick up this book. You won't be able to put it down. * Thomas J. Bouchard, Jr., Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota *Table of Contents1. Mirror, mirror ; 2. In the beginning: the evolutionary origins of behaviour ; 3. The nose knows ; 4. As the worm turns: learning and memory in the roundworm C. elegans ; 5. About genes and behaviour ; 6. Life in the fourth dimension: the role of clocks in regulating behaviour ; 7. You must remember this: the evolution of learning and memory ; 8. The role of neurotransmitters in human behaviour ; 9. The genetics of aggression ; 10. The genetics of consumption, Part 1: eating disorders ; 11. The genetics of consumption, Part II: alcoholism and drug abuse ; 12. The genetics of human mental function ; 13. The genetics of human sexual preference ; 14. Genetics, the environment and free will ; Appendix 1: finding and identifying genes ; Appendix 2: a brief history of eugenics

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of a profound revolution in the way biologists explore life''s history, understand its evolutionary processes, and reveal its diversity. It is about life''s smallest entities, deepest diversity, and greatest cellular biomass: the microbiosphere. Jan Sapp introduces us to a new field of evolutionary biology and a new brand of molecular evolutionists who descend to the foundations of evolution on Earth to explore the origins of the genetic system and the primary life forms from which all others have emerged. In so doing, he examines-from Lamarck to the present-the means of pursuing the evolution of complexity, and of depicting the greatest differences among organisms. The New Foundations of Evolution takes us into a world that classical evolutionists could never have imagined: a deep phylogeny based on three domains of life and multiple kingdoms, and created by mechanisms very unlike those considered by Darwin and his followers. Evolution by leaps seems to occur regulTrade ReviewIt is a must-read for anyone with the slightest interest in the historical background to the current controversies regarding the role of horizontal gene transfer and how this affects the notion of a tree of life for prokaryotes. * Systematic Biology *Table of ContentsFOREWORD; PREFACE; CONCLUDING REMARKS

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Introduction: The place of space bioethics in the philosophy and ethics of space missions 2. Introduction to human health risks in space and the methodology of space bioethics 3. Biomedical human enhancement 4. Germline gene editing and embryo selection for future long-term space missions 5. Justification of human enhancement versus rationale for space missions 6. Is the bioethics of space missions different from bioethics on Earth? 7. Moral bioenhancement in long-term space missions 8. Space Bioethics, Population Ethics, and Space Colonization 9. Conclusions 10. Appendix 1. Bioethics of space missions in the light of futures studies

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Book SynopsisRecent social and political psychological research indicates that increased access to ancestry testing has strengthened the notion of genetic essentialism among some groups, or the idea that our biology ties us to particular ethnic identities. This can boost a sense of cultural pride and prosocial behaviors among communities that are perceived to be similar. In the worst-case scenarios, however, this phenomenon can contribute to deeper social woes like misinformation, anti-science agendas, and even social hatred among those who believe in racial superiority. Using research from both the social sciences and the genetics literature as support, Ancestry Reimagined establishes realistic expectations about what we can learn from our DNA as a foundation for examining the psychological impact of ancestry testing, including the differences between how this information is perceived versus its reality. With this book, Dr. Kampourakis flexes his muscles as an esteemed interdisciplinary science edTrade ReviewA fascinating and personal journey into the complex relationship between ancestry, ethnicity and identity. Kampourakis' book provides food for thought for anyone curious about what genetic ancestry tests actually measure and what, if anything, we can learn from their results. * Iain Mathieson, Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania *Ancestry Reimagined is an urgently needed book. It explains how modern misconceptions of genetic determinism are becoming mixed into notions of race essentialism to create confusions of identity that are being commercially monetised. While genomics has immense potential to elucidate human origins and history, this book is a splendidly clear corrective to some of its scientific, technological and societal misuses and misunderstandings. * Philip Ball, science writer and author of How To Grow a Human *I have more sympathy for DNA testing than does Kostas Kampourakis - if people seek slightly bizarre information about themselves, why not? Many might value such an exploration. Nonetheless, he convincingly shows the distortions, emotional tangles, politically dicey inferences, and plain silliness that test misuse can entail. Ancestry Re-Imagined is clear, elegant, engaged, and absorbing; no one will misunderstand genetic ancestry testing after reading it. * Jennifer Hochschild, Henry LaBarre Jayne Professor of Government, Harvard University, and author of Genomic Politics (OUP) *Genetic essentialism is at the root of many of our societal problems. Kampourakis brilliantly dissects misconceptions concerning modern genetic ancestry testing, notions of socially defined race and ethnicity, and how it impacts individuals' understandings of themselves and their families. This is done in an engaging style. A must read. * Joseph L. Graves Jr, Professor of Biological Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University and author of Racism, Not Race (with Alan Goodman) *Who do you think you are? In today's world of identity politics, finding your roots has never seemed so important. You'd think your DNA would have answers to all your questions. That's science, right? But as Kostas Kampourakis shows in this timely book, your DNA is a very deceptive guide to discovering your ancestry. * Dr Henry Gee, Senior Editor at Nature, and author of A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth, and The Accidental Species: Misunderstandings of Human Evolution *Kostas Kampourakis has written a book that everyone who is either considering submitting a sample for DNA testing to a commercial ancestry company or who is trying to interpret the results of such a test should read. He explains in a clear and comprehensible manner basic genetics, the different tools used by genetic ancestry companies to evaluate ancestry, and exactly what these tests can and cannot do. In particular, he presents the reasons that the results of such tests are not and cannot be taken as proof of identity or ethnicity. Ancestry Re-Imagined goes beyond most books on DNA testing by discussing the psychological tendency toward essentializing the results of such tests, thus explaining why and how people distort these tests to various ends. Finally, it warns of the dangers of such essentializing, both in the past and the present. * Patrick Geary, Emeritus Professor of History, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton New Jersey *Ancestry Reimagined does a brilliant job demystifying the pseudo-genetic personal histories that are being aggressively marketed to the public today. Ancestry is never composed of simply facts of nature, but is invariably the result of a complex negotiation between facts of nature and culture. And as millions of consumers purchase a bit of science in the hopes of constructing genetic identities for themselves, Kostas Kampourakis expertly and elegantly shows where the grains of salt must be taken each step of the way. * Jonathan Marks, Professor of Anthropology, UNC-Charlotte *Ancestry Reimagined provides an in-depth analysis of the geneticization of identity and ancestry. It grapples with how ancestry companies view race and ethnicity as somehow essential elements, written into our DNA. It is a unique and timely exploration that brings science to the study of the highly political topic of identity and genetic essentialisms. * Alan H. Goodman, Professor of Biological Anthropology, Hampshire College *In Ancestry Re-Imagined, Kostas Kampourakis offers a lucid explanation of the science behind DNA ancestry testing while exposing the circular reasoning and unrealistic assumptions that underpin the claim that one can "discover" one's ancestry through DNA test results. The result is a compelling demonstration that ethnicity is culturally constructed rather than genetically determined. * Jonathan M. Hall, Phyllis Fay Horton Distinguished Service Professor in the Humanities, University of Chicago, and author of Ethnic Identity in Greek Antiquity *Ancestry Reimagined succeeds in dismantling myths around genetic ancestry and provides an accessible and engaging and integrative discussion of a wide-ranging literature. It would serve as an excellent primer text for undergraduate students, scholars who are adjacent to, but still outside of, genetics, or the general public trying to make sense of their consumer genetics results. * Kevin A. Bird, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA *Dr Kampourakis is adept at explaining philosophical concepts around biology and identity clearly and engagingly. For readers with a background in biosciences or genetics, I would highly recommend Ancestry Reimagined as a first step into considering the context and wider interpretations around our work. The book raises important questions around how ethnicity is linked to genetics beyond the commercial tests and throughout medical research. * Tom Turner, BioNews *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 DNA ancestry testing: what it is and what people make of it Chapter 2 Essentializing social groups: nations Chapter 3 From race to ethnicity in ancestry testing Chapter 4 Genealogical and genetic ancestry Chapter 5 Using DNA ancestry evidence to retrace history Chapter 6 We are all Africans, ultimately Chapter 7 More related than distinct Chapter 8 Social constructs vs. "natural order" Chapter 9 Separating DNA from culture Chapter 10 Finding meaning in our ancestry testing Conclusion

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Book SynopsisAdaptive radiation is the evolution of diversity within a rapidly multiplying lineage. It can cause a single ancestral species to differentiate into an impressively vast array of species inhabiting a variety of environments. Much of life''s diversity has arisen during adaptive radiations. Some of the most famous recent examples include the East African cichlid fishes, the Hawaiian silverswords, and of course, Darwin''s Galápagos finches,. This book evaluates the causes of adaptive radiation. It focuses on the ''ecological'' theory of adaptive radiation, a body of ideas that began with Darwin and was developed through the early part of the 20th Century. This theory proposes that phenotypic divergence and speciation in adaptive radiation are caused ultimately by divergent natural selection arising from differences in environment and competition between species. In The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation the author re-evaluates the ecological theory, along with its most significant extensions aTrade Review[Schluter's] book is an ideal basis for graduate student seminar courses, and can both educate and spark spirited discussion ... finely crafted, deeply thoughtful. * Evolution *... a scholarly work of great clarity and force of argument. It is essential reading for all students of evolution ... a book that will take its place near the ones by Dobzhansky, Lack, Mayr and Simpson that inspired it. * Peter R. Grant, Quarterly Review of Biology *... in each decade, one book stands out in terms of its influence on the field of evolutionary biology ... Although only one-year old, this decade might have already produced its member of this pantheon: Dolph Schluter" The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation ... it will lead to new avenues of research and new ways of thinking about adaptive radiation. * Jonathan B. Losos, Trends in Ecology and Evolution *... presents and impressively thorough evaluation of the empirical evidence that has accumulated since Simpson's snythesis ... an absolute "must read" for all graduate students in the fields of ecology and evolution and for anyone interested in evolutionary diversity. It will become a classic. * Axel Meyer, Science *... should be read and regularly consulted by anybody interested in adaptive radiation, in natural selection, and in speciation. * Konrad Bachmann, Plant Systematics and Evolution *Table of Contents1. The origins of ecological diversity ; 2. Detecting adaptive radiation ; 3. The progress of adaptive radiation ; 4. The ecological theory of adaptive radiation ; 5. Divergent natural selection between environments ; 6. Divergence and species interactions ; 7. Ecological opportunity ; 8. The ecological basis of speciation ; 9. Divergence along genetic lines of least resistance ; 10. The ecology of adaptive radiation

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