Overview

Just 45 years ago, the age of gene modification was born. Researchers could create glow-in-the-dark mice, farmyard animals producing drugs in their milk, and vitamin-enhanced rice that could prevent half a million people going blind every year. But now GM is rapidly being supplanted by a new system called CRISPR or 'gene editing'. Using this approach, scientists can manipulate the genes of almost any organism with a degree of precision, ease and speed that we could only dream of ten years ago. But is it ethical to change the genetic material of organisms in a way that might be passed on to future generations? If a person is suffering from a lethal genetic disease, is it even more unethical to deny them this option? Who controls the application of this technology, when it makes 'biohacking' - perhaps of one's own genome - a real possibility? Nessa Carey's book is a thrilling and timely snapshot of a technology that will radically alter our futures.

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9781785784972

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Reviews

'Carey's trawl of potential applications - such as high-yield rice varieties, therapies for sickle-cell disease and germline gene editing - is edifying. A focused snapshot of a brave new world.' * Nature *

'Junk DNA provides a cutting-edge, exhaustive guide to the rapidly changing, ever-more mysterious genome.'--Linda Geddes New Scientist 'An enlightening introduction to what scientists have learned in the past decade about [epigenetics].'--Carl Zimmer Wall Street Journal 'An excellent introduction to a fascinating new field that may revolutionize our understanding of human health and disease. Highly recommended.'--Library Journal '[Junk DNA], which is frequently humorous and well documented, does a fine job of explaining a complex subject for lay readers who are willing to put in some effort.'--Library Journal 'Carey's enthusiasm for her subject is infectious.... An excellent introduction to a subject that we are certain to be hearing a lot more about in the near future.'--Mark Diston The Register 'An exhilarating exploration of an exciting new field, and a good gift for a bright biology student looking for a career choice.'--Kirkus

'An enlightening introduction to what scientists have learned in the past decade about [epigenetics].'--Carl Zimmer Wall Street Journal 'Junk DNA provides a cutting-edge, exhaustive guide to the rapidly changing, ever-more mysterious genome.'--Linda Geddes New Scientist 'An excellent introduction to a fascinating new field that may revolutionize our understanding of human health and disease. Highly recommended.'--Library Journal '[Junk DNA], which is frequently humorous and well documented, does a fine job of explaining a complex subject for lay readers who are willing to put in some effort.'--Library Journal 'Carey's enthusiasm for her subject is infectious.... An excellent introduction to a subject that we are certain to be hearing a lot more about in the near future.'--Mark Diston The Register 'An exhilarating exploration of an exciting new field, and a good gift for a bright biology student looking for a career choice.'--Kirkus

Author Information

Nessa Carey worked in the biotech and pharma industry for thirteen years and is a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. Her previous books for Icon are The Epigenetics Revolution (2011), described by The Guardian as 'a book that would have had Darwin swooning', and Junk DNA (2015), 'a cutting-edge guide to the ever-more mysterious genome' (New Scientist).

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