The 1,000 Genome, Kevin Davies
The 1,000 Genome, Kevin Davies
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The $1,000 Genome
The Revolution in DNA Sequencing and the New Era of Personalized Medicine

Author: Kevin Davies

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Unabridged: 10 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/22/2010


Synopsis

Since the conclusion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, scientists have been racing toward a grand goal: offering individuals a decoding of their complete genetic makeup for just $1,000. As Kevin Davies reveals in this exquisitely reported account, the $1,000 genome will be a reality by 2011 and it will usher in a whole new era of personalized, genomic medicine. Capable of presenting much more advanced information than the current crop of cheek-swab services, the $1,000 complete genome raises some extraordinary possibilities. We will be able to learn if we have genes that predispose us to a host of diseases and to take a wide range of preventative measures. Drug companies may be able to create versions of drugs tailored specifically to our individual DNA. But we may also face the psychological burden of learning that we have the gene for an incurable disease, such as Parkinson's.

Acclaimed author Kevin Davies introduces the pioneers of this medical revolution and probes deeply into both the medical benefits and ethical issues of personal genetic testing, also exploring the psychological complexities of learning one's DNA results, based on both his own experience of being tested and that of a number of others. The $1,000 Genome is an indispensable guide to the new era of personalized medicine.

About Kevin Davies

Kevin Davies, Ph.D., is the author of Cracking the Genome and editor in chief of Bio-IT World, a monthly magazine covering enabling technology in the life sciences. He was the founding editor of Nature Genetics, the world's leading genetics journal, and he has also written for the Boston Globe, New England Journal of Medicine, New Scientist, and Prospect. Davies holds an M.A. in biochemistry from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D in molecular genetics from the University of London. He lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, with his wife and two teenage children.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brooke

6/10. This book dove into the science of genomes and personalized medicine. I liked the discussion of what we can and can't learn from DNA sequencing and the development of different companies. However, I wish there was more in depth information about the sequencers. Additionally, this book is a bit......more