"The newest addition to John Brockman's Edge.org series explores life itself, bringing together the world's leading biologists, geneticists, and evolutionary theorists -- including Richard Dawkins, Edward O. Wilson, J. Craig Venter, and Freeman Dyson. Scientists' understanding of life is progressing more rapidly than at any point in human history, from the extraordinary decoding of DNA to the controversial emergence of biotechnology. Featuring pioneering biologists, geneticists, physicists, and science writers, Life explains just how far we've come -- and takes a brilliantly educated guess at where we're heading. Richard Dawkins and J. Craig Venter compare genes to digital information, and sketch the frontiers of genomic research. Edward O. Wilson reveals what ants can teach us about building a superorganism -- and, in turn, about how cells build an organism. Elsewhere, David Haig reports new findings on how mothers and fathers individually influence the human genome, while Kary Mullis covers cutting edge treatments for dangerous viruses. And there's much more in this fascinating volume. We may never have all the answers. But the thinkers collected in Life are asking questions that will keep us dreaming for generations."--provided by Amazon.com.

The successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 created both hope and hype with regard to advancements in medical therapies. The delineation of precise genetic information suggested the possibility of predicting an individual's future health as well as the theoretical ability to intervene and fix it. Nearly a decade later, Gutkind and Kennedy (writers who are well versed in exploring both the technical and personal sides of science and medicine) chronicle the growing pains of personalized medicine, a genomic-driven, individualized type of preventive health care with uniquely targeted treatments. Interviews with researchers, patients, physicians, and others in the genomic business lead the authors to conclude that although personalized medicine has plenty of power and promise, it has a long way to go before becoming the standard of medical care. Sequencing your own genome is already quite accessible and getting cheaper all the time. Managing and making sense of vast amounts of genetic data remain daunting." (Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.).--

Well aware of Jews having once been the victims of Nazi eugenics policies, many Jews today have an ambivalent attitude toward new genetics and are understandably wary of genetic forms of identity and intervention. At the same time, the Jewish tradition is strongly committed to medical research designed to prevent or cure diseases. Jews and Genes explores this tension against the backdrop of various important developments in genetics and bioethics—new advances in stem cell research; genetic mapping, identity, testing, and intervention; and the role of religion and ethics in shaping public policy. Jews and Genes brings together leaders in their fields, from all walks of Judaism, to explore these most timely and intriguing topics—the intricacies of the genetic code and the wonders of life, along with cutting-edge science and the ethical issues it raises.