Dictionary Of Genetics & Cell Biology - Softcover

Part of both the fun and frustration of the biological sciences over the last decade or so has been keeping up with the terminology. Many words borrowed from more general usage have been endowed with very special meanings, sometimes not obvious to the uninitiated. I refer to the use of words like amplification, and housekeeping as they apply to genes. Other terms, such as clone, have moved from biology into general journalism, but require understanding and precision in use. This book therefore sets out no just to define but to explain what certain words mean and what their relationship is to other terms in the same field. In this way it is hoped that those who use the dictionary frequently will, as they do so, expand their knowledge and understanding of the topics. The fact that the dictionary combines two areas deserves comment. Both genetics and cell biology have changed greatly in recent years, since both have been greatly affected by the explosion in molecular biology, both technically and intellectually. This, to my mind, links them almost indissolubly. Thus, although it would be possible to have distinct volumes devoted to either topic, many, perhaps even most, of the words defined would be common to both disciplines. It is also noticeable that many who work in specialist areas of cell biology and genetics do encounter problems in keeping abreast of the terminology used in the alternative subject area. This book should do something to help.