Overview

“A perfect blend of cutting-edge science and compelling storytelling.”—Bill Bryson A revolutionary new vision of human biology and the scientific breakthroughs that will transform our lives Imagine knowing years in advance whether you are likely to get cancer or having a personalized understanding of your individual genes, organs, and cells. Imagine being able to monitor your body's well-being, or have a diet tailored to your microbiome. The Secret Body reveals how these and other stunning breakthroughs and technologies are transforming our understanding of how the human body works, what it is capable of, how to protect it from disease, and how we might manipulate it in the future. Taking readers to the cutting edge of research, Daniel Davis shows how radical new possibilities are becoming realities thanks to the visionary efforts of scientists who are revealing the invisible and secret universe within each of us. Focusing on six important frontiers, Davis describes what we are learning about cells, the development of the fetus, the body's immune system, the brain, the microbiome, and the genome—areas of human biology that are usually understood in isolation. Bringing them together here for the first time, Davis offers a new vision of the human body as a biological wonder of dizzying complexity and possibility. Written by an award-winning scientist at the forefront of this adventure, The Secret Body is a gripping drama of discovery and a landmark account of the dawning revolution in human health.

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Reviews

Finalist for the PROSE Award in Neuroscience, Association of American Publishers A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year An elegantly written and splendidly concise Cook's Tour of the frontiers of medical biology. ---John J. Ross, Wall Street Journal A big-picture forecast of how medicine stands on the threshold of a revolution that will radically change all of our lives. ---John Naish, The Times This is not a subject that popular writers have ignored, but Davis, a professor of immunology, refreshingly avoids the low-hanging fruit (life extension, designer babies) and digs into the actual science. While acknowledging the many miracles this new science will lead to (most of which will not occur in the immediate future), the author explores what contemporary scientists have learned and how they learned it. . . . Dazzling discoveries in expert hands. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review * In The Secret Body, Davis connects the past, present, and future of scientific advancements with aspects of human health. . . . By focusing on the successes as well as the struggles researchers responsible for each tool experienced, Davis personalizes the science and fosters an appreciation for the complexities of scientific discovery. . . . Appropriate for both scientific and general audiences, the book leaves readers with a deep sense of the impact that the large volume of data being produced through these technologies will have, not only on human health itself but also on decisions regarding health. ---C. Kale, Choice

Finalist for the PROSE Award in Neuroscience, Association of American Publishers An elegantly written and splendidly concise Cook's Tour of the frontiers of medical biology. ---John J. Ross, Wall Street Journal A big-picture forecast of how medicine stands on the threshold of a revolution that will radically change all of our lives. ---John Naish, The Times This is not a subject that popular writers have ignored, but Davis, a professor of immunology, refreshingly avoids the low-hanging fruit (life extension, designer babies) and digs into the actual science. While acknowledging the many miracles this new science will lead to (most of which will not occur in the immediate future), the author explores what contemporary scientists have learned and how they learned it. . . . Dazzling discoveries in expert hands. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review * In The Secret Body, Davis connects the past, present, and future of scientific advancements with aspects of human health. . . . By focusing on the successes as well as the struggles researchers responsible for each tool experienced, Davis personalizes the science and fosters an appreciation for the complexities of scientific discovery. . . . Appropriate for both scientific and general audiences, the book leaves readers with a deep sense of the impact that the large volume of data being produced through these technologies will have, not only on human health itself but also on decisions regarding health. ---C. Kale, Choice

Author Information

Daniel M. Davis is Professor of Immunology and Head of Life Sciences at Imperial College London. He is the author of The Beautiful Cure and The Compatibility Gene.

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