Kevin Davies (1) (1960–)

This is an entertaining and informative book about the state of gene editing technology. Discuss in a historical context it describes not only the technology but the history as well. The latter chapters discuss the ethical questions.

Although a highly technical subject, I found this book about the race by academic versus the commercial groups to sequence the human genome easy to read and compelling.

It includes a lot of very interesting information on how genes work, their role in cancer, the advantages of genetic defects etc.

I agree that it seems a little too optimistic when describing the possibilities that arise from the sequencing of the genome. As is usual in science, the acquisition of knowledge serves to teach us show more how much we do not yet know. For example, we now know the sequence of proteins generated by genes but it turns out that what is really important is how the proteins collapse into a three dimensional molecule. So another huge project is born to work out how that happens. show less

This book should be titled 'The new companies that want to sequence your genome', because unfortunately that's what it's mostly about. Davies touches on all of the interesting technologies, applications and possible consequences of this 'revolution' that is certainly going to occur, but doesn't try to get grips with any of them.

Topics such as epigenetics and computational biology are mentioned and not explored, when they will both be key to genome sequencing fulfilling it's real potential, show more whereas the sequencing itself and principles involved are explained but probably not accessible enough for the non-biologist. Therefore there is little to recommend it to either the interested scientist who wants a more in depth discussion, or an interested non-scientist who would need a lot of prior knowledge from other sources if they are really going to gain from this book.

If you are interested in learning the background of the companies and major players in what is sure to be a new biotech industry, then this is the book for you. But if you want to understand the biology or technology or think about the considerable potential consequences then look elsewhere. show less

An excellent intro to the current state of DNA sequencing, the personalities behind some of the leading companies and technologies in the field and the ethical and cultural issues implicated by personal genomics.

DNA sequencing is evolving so quickly that the description of the industry is already a bit out of date. Davies must have started on this in 2007 or earlier.

That said, it would probably be impossible to write a book that wouldn't seem a little dated by the time of publication.