Darwin In the Genome: Molecular Strategies in Biological Evolution

Smart genomes--an enthralling account of revolutionary discoveries at the cutting edge of genomics research

Written by a molecular biologist at the forefront of genomics research, Darwin in the Genome is an exciting account of one of the hottest new theories in biology today: evolution by natural selection inevitably leads to strategic mutations. In the struggle for survival, from pathogens to flowers, birds to orangutans, baker's yeast to people, the fittest genomes are those that evolve effective molecular strategies that respond to, and in fact anticipate, challenges and opportunities in their environments.

Writing in a clear, accessible style, Lynn Caporale describes the emergence of genomic mutation strategies, which researchers are just beginning to uncover. She also spells out some of the more profound implications of these findings, including the importance of biodiversity, indeed human diversity, for survival, the possibility of bold new directions for medical research, and the inherent dangers of attempting to fix perceived "errors" in a human genome.

Lynn Caporale received her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California at Berkeley. After teaching and doing research at New York University, Memorial/Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, and Georgetown University, she moved to Merck Research Laboratories, where she spent over a decade focused on the discovery of new medicines. Dr. Caporale has held research and senior executive positions with various biotechnology companies and in the pharmaceutical industry and currently is an independent consultant in drug discovery and functional genomics. She lives in New York City.