Awards

• Long-listed for ALA Carnegie Medal 2025

Overview

Over the last half century, a quiet revolution has taken place. In a series of breathtaking discoveries, biochemist Thomas Cech and a diverse cast of brilliant scientists have revealed RNA at the center of biology's greatest mysteries, from how life began to what makes us human to why we age. At last, The Catalyst pulls back the curtain to show how RNA-long sidelined as the passive servant of DNA-defines life, from its very origins to our future in the twenty-first century. Recounting his own paradigm-shifting discovery that RNA can catalyze biochemical reactions, as well as his work on the ""fountain of youth"" telomerase, Cech unfolds how RNA holds the key to the intricate machinery of our cells, the critical processes of aging and disease, and the spectacular powers of breakthrough therapies from CRISPR to mRNA vaccines. From one of our foremost scientists, The Catalyst is a must-read guide to the present and future of biology and medicine.

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9781324050681

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Reviews

Nobel laureate Thomas Cech takes us into the world of RNA with a story that's as enlightening as it is fascinating. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the molecule that has shaped life itself and is driving the future of science and medicine.--Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate, co-inventor of CRISPR gene editing, and founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute Tom Cech led the way into what will be known as the age of RNA. When others were focused on DNA, Cech probed the mysteries of the then lesser-known, but wondrous molecule that creates the stuff of life and is a key to life's origins. The Catalyst vividly describes the marvels of RNA and the discoveries--from vaccines to gene-editing tools--that will shape our future. I am so glad Cech wrote this book.--Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Elon Musk and The Code Breaker

Author Information

Thomas R. Cech is distinguished professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His many honors include the Nobel Prize and the National Medal of Science. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.

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