Genome Chaos: Rethinking Genetics, Evolution, and Molecular Medicine

Genome Chaos: Rethinking Genetics, Evolution, and Molecular Medicine transports readers from Mendelian Genetics to 4D-genomics, building a case for genes and genomes as distinct biological entities, and positing that the genome, rather than individual genes, defines system inheritance and represents a clear unit of selection for macro-evolution. In authoring this thought-provoking text, Dr. Heng invigorates fresh discussions in genome theory and helps readers reevaluate their current understanding of human genetics, evolution, and new pathways for advancing molecular and precision medicine.

• Bridges basic research and clinical application and provides a foundation for re-examining the results of large-scale omics studies and advancing molecular medicine
• Gathers the most pressing questions in genomic and cytogenomic research
• Offers alternative explanations to timely puzzles in the field
• Contains eight evidence-based chapters that discuss 4d-genomics, genes and genomes as distinct biological entities, genome chaos and macro-cellular evolution, evolutionary cytogenetics and cancer, chromosomal coding and fuzzy inheritance, and more

Dr. Henry H. Heng has coauthored over 200 publications and serves on the editorial boards of seven international, peer-reviewed journals. Using single-cell analysis of in vitro and in vivo models, Dr. Heng’s group has illustrated the evolutionary dynamics of cancer progression by directly observing evolution in action. Such experiments revealed that cancer evolution involves two phases: punctuated genome alteration-mediated macroevolution (which creates a new system), followed by stepwise gene and epigenetic-mediated microevolution (which leads to population growth). By applying this concept to organismal evolution, he discovered that the main function of sex is to reduce genetic diversity at the genome level in order to preserve genome-defined species identity information. Heng introduced the Genome Architecture Theory, a new genome-based conceptual framework of genomics and evolution.