Decoding Our DNA: Craig Venter Vs the Human Genome Project (Scientific Rivalries and Scandals)

Ballen, Karen Gunnison

ISBN 10: 0761354891 ISBN 13: 9780761354895

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books, 2012

Synopsis

Relates the race to map the human genome, discussing the debates over patenting the information, Venter's process that sped up his discoveries, and rivalry that continued after the project was completed.

About this title

About the Author

Karen Ballen has a bachelor's degree from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota. She taught biology at a small college in Minnesota before turning to children's writing. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and children. She is the author of Seven Wonders of Medicine.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up-These books showcase major scientific developments and the brutal competition behind the scenes. They are highly engaging accounts of researchers resorting to cheap shots, spying, and double crossing to take credit for pivotal discoveries. But they are also disturbing documentation of how ego can trump the greater good, as in the battle between Luc Montagnier and Robert Gallo over the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS. Proprietary arguments and fraud delayed progress in its identification, which undoubtedly came at the cost of lives. Written cleanly and fluidly, these titles let the drama and occasional absurdity of the players' actions speak for themselves. Captioned photographs and diagrams correspond well to the texts, while sidebars contribute additional facts. In-depth time lines are the most noteworthy of the strong supplementary features. This fascinating set would be equally useful in history and science classrooms.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This slender volume from the Scientific Rivalries and Scandals series introduces the race to sequence the human genome, with scientists competing for possible fame, fortune, and a place in history. On one side, the players included James Watson, who first headed the U.S. branch of the international Human Genome Project, and Francis Collins, who followed him in that position. Researcher Craig Venter challenged the slow, methodical pace of their government-funded project by working on a privately funded venture to complete a similar project more quickly and patent the results. The small, rather crowded pages include some black-and-white photos as well as sidebars and pull quotes. Readers with a solid grounding in genetics may well become caught up in the narrative, which features professional rivalry as well as ethical concerns. Others may find themselves muddling through the vocabulary, acronyms, and explanations of technical points. Still, Ballen clearly lays out both sides of the issues as well as the story’s eventual resolution. Grades 9-12. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761354891
• ISBN 13: 9780761354895
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 64