Welcome to the Genome

The popular introduction to the genomic revolution for non-scientists―the revised and updated new edition

Welcome to the Genome is an accessible, up-to-date introduction to genomics―the interdisciplinary field of biology focused on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of an organism’s complete set of DNA. Written for non-experts, this user-friendly book explains how genomes are sequenced and explores the discoveries and challenges of this revolutionary technology. Genomics is a mixture of many fields, including not only biology, engineering, computer science, and mathematics, but also social sciences and humanities. This unique guide addresses both the science of genomics and the ethical, moral, and social questions that rise from the technology.

There have been many exciting developments in genomics since this book’s first publication. Accordingly, the second edition of Welcome to the Genome offers substantial new and updated content to reflect recent major advances in genome-level sequencing and analysis, and demonstrates the vast increase in biological knowledge over the past decade. New sections cover next-generation technologies such as Illumina and PacBio sequencing, while expanded chapters discuss controversial ethical and philosophical issues raised by genomic technology, such as direct-to-consumer genetic testing. An essential resource for understanding the still-evolving genomic revolution, this book:

• Introduces non-scientists to basic molecular principles and illustrates how they are shaping the genomic revolution in medicine, biology, and conservation biology
• Explores a wide range of topics within the field such as genetic diversity, genome structure, genetic cloning, forensic genetics, and more
• Includes full-color illustrations and topical examples
• Presents material in an accessible, user-friendly style, requiring no expertise in genomics
• Discusses past discoveries, current research, and future possibilities in the field

Sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, Welcome to the Genome: A User’s Guide to the Genetic Past, Present, and Future is a must-read book for anyone interested in the scientific foundation for understanding the development and evolutionary heritage of all life.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 From Mendel to Molecules

Chapter 2 The Building Blocks of Gene Sequencing

Chapter 3 Sequencing the Genome

Chapter 4 The Next Generation

Chapter 5 Making the Genome Safe

Chapter 6 The Meanings of Genetic Diversity: Part I

Chapter 7 The Meanings of Genetic Diversity: Part II

Chapter 8 The Tree of Life: 4 Billion Years of Divergence

Chapter 9 Sequencing the Small and Infamous: A Look at Metagenomics and Microbiomes

Chapter 10 The World to Come: Agriculture

About the Authors

Dr. Rob DeSalle is a curator in the Comparative Genomics Institute and the Department of Entomology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. He is also Editor-in-Chief for mtDNA, and has served as an associate editor for Conservation Genetics, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Bioassays, and the Journal of Heredity. Prior to his work with the Natural History Museum, Dr. DeSalle taught in the Biology Department at Yale University.

Dr. Michael Yudell is Professor and Chair of the Department of Community Health and Prevention at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, and works at the intersection of public health, history, and ethics. Yudell is currently Chair of the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-up Technical Advisory Board.