The inside story on how scientists unlocked human DNA.
8/20/2001
Geneticist Kevin Davies conveys what may be the most significant technological achievement of this century—decoding the human genome. Founding editor of the journal Nature Genetics and coauthor of Breakthrough: The Race for the Breast Cancer Gene, Davies combines his scientific training with a journalistic background to trace the events leading to this extraordinary scientific achievement. With seemingly limitless possibilities in the advancement of medical science, decoding the genome will transform the way doctors treat patients and redefine the meaning of preventive medicine. Studies of the genome sequence have implications for evolutionary biology, political history, and the legal system. Davies succeeds in capturing "the excitement, intrigue, mystery and majesty of the quest for biology's Holy Grail" while at the same time telling a story that will transform our future and uncover mysteries of the past.