Molecular Biology: A Very Short Introduction

Molecular Biology: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: Aysha Divan

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016-08-18

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0191035815

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Molecular Biology is the story of the molecules of life, their relationships, and how these interactions are controlled. It is an expanding field in life sciences, and its applications are wide and growing. We can now harness the power of molecular biology to treat diseases, solve crimes, map human history, and produce genetically modified organisms and crops, and these applications have sparked a multitude of fascinating legal and ethical debates. In this Very Short Introduction, Aysha Divan and Janice Royds examine the history, present, and future of Molecular Biology. Starting with the building blocks established by Darwin, Wallace and Mendel, and the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953, they consider the wide range of applications for Molecular Biology today, including the development of new drugs, and forensic science. They also look forward to two key areas of evolving research such as personalised medicine and synthetic biology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Molecules: A Very Short Introduction

Molecules: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: Philip Ball

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2003-11-27

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 019157841X

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The processes in a single living cell are akin to that of a city teeming with molecular inhabitants that move, communicate, cooperate, and compete. In this Very Short Introduction, Philip Ball explores the role of the molecule in and around us - how, for example, a single fertilized egg can grow into a multi-celled Mozart, what makes spider's silk insoluble in the morning dew, and how this molecular dynamism is being captured in the laboratory, promising to reinvent chemistry as the central creative science of the century. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Developmental Biology: A Very Short Introduction

Developmental Biology: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: Lewis Wolpert

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011-08-25

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 0199601194

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"A concise account of what we know about development discusses the first vital steps of growth and explores one of the liveliest areas of scientific research."--P. [2] of cover.

Genomics

Genomics PDF

Author: John M. Archibald

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0198786204

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In the years since the Human Genome Project, genomics has grown into a big and rapidly developing field driven by bioinformatics technology. The implications for our health and privacy, and our understanding of ecological systems and evolution are profound. This book provides an account of this exciting new science, its impact and its potential.

Stem Cells: A Very Short Introduction

Stem Cells: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: Jonathan Slack

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2021-09-23

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 0192640399

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The topic of stem cells has a high profile in the media. We've made important advances in our scientific understanding, but despite this the clinical applications of stem cells are still in their infancy and most real stem cell therapy carried out today is some form of bone marrow transplantation. At the same time, a scandalous spread of unproven stem cell treatments by private clinics represents a serious problem, with treatments being offered which are backed by limited scientific rationale, and which are at best ineffective, and at worse harmful. This Very Short Introduction introduces stem cells, exploring what they are, and what scientists do with them. Introducing the different types of stem cells, Jonathan Slack explains how they can be used to treat diseases such as retinal degeneration, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and spinal trauma. He also discusses the important technique of bone marrow transplantation and some other types of current stem cell therapy, used for the treatment of blindness and of severe burns. Slack warns against fake stem cell treatments and discusses how to distinguish real from fake treatments. He also describes the latest scientific progress in the field, and looks forward to what we can expect to happen in the next few years Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry PDF

Author: Mark Lorch

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0198833873

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All living things are composed of cells, which have fundamentally the same chemistry. Biochemistry is the study of reactions within these cells, and the molecules that are created, manipulated, and destroyed as a result of them. This book discusses the key concepts of biochemistry, as well as the recent discoveries and innovations in the field.--

Molecular Biology

Molecular Biology PDF

Author: Aysha Divan

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 169

ISBN-13: 0198723881

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Molecular Biology lies at the heart of all life sciences. This 'Very Short Introduction' provides an account of the development of this important modern field, and considers its modern day applications such as the development of new drugs, genetically modified crops, and forensic science.

Genes

Genes PDF

Author: Jonathan Slack

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 019967650X

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Explores the discovery, nature, and role of genes in evolution and development.

Microbiology: A Very Short Introduction

Microbiology: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: Nicholas P. Money

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2014-12-04

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0191503916

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In recent decades we have come to realize that the microbial world is hugely diverse, and can be found in the most extreme environments. Fungi, single-celled protists, bacteria, archaea, and the vast array of viruses and sub-viral particles far outnumber plants and animals. Microbes, we now know, play a critical role in ecosystems, in the chemistry of atmosphere and oceans, and within our bodies. The field of microbiology, armed with new techniques from molecular biology, is now one of the most vibrant in the life sciences. In this Very Short Introduction Nicholas P. Money explores not only the traditional methods of microscopy and laboratory culture but also the modern techniques of genetic detection and DNA sequencing, genomic analysis, and genetic manipulation. In turn he demonstrates how advances in microbiology have had a tremendous impact on the areas of medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Philosophy of Biology

Philosophy of Biology PDF

Author: Samir Okasha

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2019-11-07

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 019880699X

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Over the last forty years the philosophy of biology has emerged as an important sub-discipline of the philosophy of science. Covering some of science's most divisive topics, such as philosophical issues in genetics, it also encompasses areas where modern biology has increasingly impinged on traditional philosophical questions, such as free will, essentialism, and nature vs nurture. In this Very Short Introduction Samir Okasha outlines the core issues with which contemporary philosophy of biology is engaged. Offering a whistle-stop tour of the history of biology, he explores key ideas and paradigm shifts throughout the centuries, including areas such as the theory of evolution by natural selection; the concepts of function and design; biological individuality; and the debate over adaptationism. Throughout Okasha makes clear the relevance of biology for understanding human beings, human society, and our place in the natural world, and the importance of engaging with these issues. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.