The Mysterious World of the Human Genome

The latest studies of the human genome are revealing exciting new discoveries. This groundbreaking book uses illuminating metaphors and reader-friendly language to show how the DNA and related chemical compounds in our cells work together to direct the processes of life. Scientists are not only unraveling how life evolved in the ancient past, but are also finding the keys to creating a healthier future. As the reader learns, we are on the cusp of an amazing era of disease treatment and eradication.

How does the minuscule chemical cluster in each of our 100 trillion cells accomplish the amazing feat of creating and maintaining our bodies? The author, a physician and an evolutionary biologist, describes the complex ways in which the genome operates as a holistic system and not solely through genes coding for proteins—the building blocks of life. Also involved are elaborate switching mechanisms that regulate and control portions of our DNA, as well as the interplay of retroviruses and bacteria.

The human genome is indeed a mysterious world, but, as this fascinating book shows, its vital secrets are now being uncovered.

Dr Frank Ryan is a consultant physician based in Sheffield, and an honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield. He is also an international best-selling writer. His book,Tuberculosis: The Greatest Story Never Told, was a New York Times Book of the Year whileDarwin's Blind Spot was the “Amazon Featured Book” recommended by Charlie Munger at the 2003 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. He pioneered the evolutionary concepts of “viral symbiosis” and “genomic creativity” and has contributed to the modern understanding of the evolution of the human genome. He is a Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Linnean Society of London.