Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria. So why does disease exist? Moalem proposes that most common ailments--diabetes, hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia--came into existence for very good reasons. At some point they helped our ancestors survive some grand challenge to their existence. Examining the evolution of man, Moalem reveals the role genetic and cultural differences have played in the health and well-being of various races, including their susceptibility to disease. With mesmerizing insight, Moalem offers groundbreaking insight into: - How diabetes may be a biproduct of a mechanism that helped humans survive the Ice Age - Why African Americans living in the north might suffer from vitamin D deficiencies, - Why Asians can't drink as much alcohol as Europeans Revelatory, utterly engaging, and timely--Moalem ponders strongN1, the emerging Avian Flu virus--Why Redheads Feel More Pain and Asians Can't Drink will irrevocably change the way we think about our bodies and ourselves.

Everything about our existence-movement and memory, imagination and reproduction, birth, and ultimately death-is governed by our cells. They are the basis of all life in the universe, from bacteria to the most complex animals. In the tradition of the classic Lives of a Cell, but with the benefit of the latest research, Lewis Wolpert demonstrates how human life grows from a single cell into a body, an incredibly complex society of billions of cells. Wolpert goes on to examine the science behind topics that are much discussed but rarely understood stem-cell research, cloning, DNA, cancer and explains how all life on earth evolved from just one cell. Lively and passionate, this is an accessible guide to understanding the human body and life itself."

Timely and unrivalled, this first work to categorize and systematically cover all recently identified receptors in the human genome is all set to become the gold standard in the field of receptor genetics and physiology. In three handy volumes, this comprehensive guide adopts an innovative approach, where, in the first part, each receptor family is discussed individually, based on the latest evidence. In the second part, the knowledge is integrated into concepts and overviews of common themes in present-day receptor research.While serving as a central resource for many disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular genetics and physiology, this reference will be equally welcomed by drug developers and cancer researchers.

The 18th volume in this annual review begins with a preface by one of the editors, Randy Schekman (U. of California, Berkeley), concerning the obligation of scientists to see that funds allotted for research in response to terrorism are invested wisely, and to offer advice to legislative representat

The 18th volume in this annual review begins with a preface by one of the editors, Randy Schekman (U. of California, Berkeley), concerning the obligation of scientists to see that funds allotted for research in response to terrorism are invested wisely, and to offer advice to legislative representat