Reshaping life

Genetic engineering is one of the most exciting scientific developments of this century and this book, an updated and expanded version of Sir Gustav Nossal's highly successful first edition, is a simple exposition of this complex subject and its related ethical issues. In terms comprehensible to the intelligent layman, it describes the fundamentals of molecular genetics and the principles of genetic engineering. The various ways in which gene transfer has revolutionized medical science and the potential for its use in agriculture, mining and waste disposal are described as well as the industries that have grown up based on this technology. The final chapters discuss the ethical considerations, the public policy implications and the future of genetic engineering. This new edition contains updated material on the recent technological advances in the field of gene cloning (e.g. genetic fingerprinting) and the early chapters are largely rewritten to make the biological concepts easier to grasp. This volume is well suited to general readers with an interest in science and medicine.