The Language of Life
DNA and the Revolution in Personalised Medicine
Book
Paperback/Softback
288 pages
978-1-84668-354-1 (ISBN)
Description
We are in the midst of a medical revolution: in just a few years, we will be able to have our complete DNA sequenced at an affordable cost. Analysing the content of our genomes will allow a powerful estimate of our future risks of illness - from cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease, to cancer and diabetes - which will help us devise our own personalised blueprint of preventive medicine. This will have enormous implications on everything from our day-to-day choices like diet and exercise, to childbearing and health insurance - and it may even challenge what we thought we knew about our ethnic histories.
Combining cutting-edge scientific research with practical advice, Francis Collins examines this remarkable phenomenon, which will transform healthcare worldwide. We now know that the language spoken by our DNA is the language of life itself, and in this important book Collins shows how reading that language will help save lives.
Combining cutting-edge scientific research with practical advice, Francis Collins examines this remarkable phenomenon, which will transform healthcare worldwide. We now know that the language spoken by our DNA is the language of life itself, and in this important book Collins shows how reading that language will help save lives.
Reviews / Votes
His groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease * President Barack Obama * Does a superb job of humanizing a complex scientific and medical subject * Starred Publishers Weekly, Pick of the Week * He is a first-rate, entertaining expositor * Kirkus * With his prose reflecting a palpable excitement at the prospects of this new form of medicine ... Collins combines uplifting cases of direly afflicted people who benefited from knowledge gained by genetic screening, with exhortation of the reader to learn about and take advantage of existing and developing techniques of genetic screening * Booklist * A wonderfully crafted series of scientific stories... It is, indeed, the storytelling that is most compelling. Written in the first person, and often lapsing into the second person, the book gives one the sense of being in a private session with a thoughtful physician who is willing to explain things properly... a jewel of a book... Francis Collins has done a great service to society by writing The Language of Life -- Edison T Liu * Nature Medicine * Collins is a highly knowledgeable guide to an emerging area of medicine... an excellent book -- Peter Aldhous * New Scientist * [Collins'] excellent treatise empowers readers to understand the revolution, make use of it and push for policy change. The Language of Life is timely, current and full of moving stories * Nature * What makes this book stand out is the wealth of personal stories of tragedy and triumph over disease... timely indeed * BBC Focus * [Collins] is here to tell us that the era of personalised genetic testing is nigh. No one could be a more authoritative messenger than Collins -- Peter Forbes * Guardian * He writes as a scientist with a passion for medical progress -- Andrew Jack * Financial Times *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84668-354-1 (9781846683541)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Francis Collins is the director of the National Institute of Health in the United States, and former head of the Human Genome Project. His most recent book, The Language of God, was a New York Times bestseller.