Biomedicine and the Human Condition

Preface; 1. Challenge, risk and reward: learning to control our biological fate; 2. Learning to breed successfully; 3. How life is handled; 4. Cells in sickness and health; 5. Experiences in utero affect later life; 6. Infection, nutrition and poisons: avoiding an unhealthy life; 7. Signs of ageing: when renovation slows; 8. Cancer and the body plan: a Darwinian struggle; 9. Fighting infection; 10. Are devastating epidemics still possible?; 11. Discovering medicines: infinite variety through chemistry; 12. Protein medicines from gene technology; 13. Refurbishing the body; 14. Living with the genetic legacy; 15. Epilogue.

Sargent, Michael G.
Michael G. Sargent is a Research Scientist in Developmental Biology at the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill, London.

'... fascinating and written with a general audience in mind.' New Scientist 'Sargent's tale is rooted in science, but he sees the big picture as well. The story is epic but the language is a marvel of clarity. Knowledge empowers, and if this book were on prescription, it might improve the national health.' The Guardian '... well-written and clearly presented ... Sargent has done a valuable service to those general readers who wish to learn about the directions of current medical research. While 'biomedicine' may be only part of the story of disease and the human condition, those who want to know what the medical world is up to have got to start somewhere; Sargent's tip of the iceberg is a better place than most.' The Lancet '... easy to read, highly informative book that covers a wide range of topics on biomedicine.' Microbiology Today 'This is an easy to read, highly informative book that covers a wide range of topics on biomedicine. ... the strength of the book is in its width and wide coverage of the science of the human body ... The book can be recommended as part of the background reading for all biologists and medical students; it could also act as a useful aid to tutorials. ... Biomedicine and the Human Condition can also be recommended for holiday reading or to help pass time on that long flight.' Society for General Microbiology 'Michael Sargent has done a great service by demonstrating that the rudiments of the essential scientific knowledge can be conveyed in a manner that is both informative and compelling. ... his book conveys a humanitarian wisdom that can be placed in the scales to counterbalance the weight of dogmatic convictions. Biomedicine and the Human Condition is written in a compelling and lucid style that renders it accessible to the layperson, but it should also become a valuable work of reference for many who are engaged professionally in medicine. ... It can be recommended to all preclinical medical students as a vade mecum and to busy