Gina Smith
About the Book THE GENOMICS AGE: In the history of mankind, few scientific phenomena have so profoundly changed the human experience as will the revolution in the use of DNA technology. Entertaining, informative, and written in plain English, The Genomics Age explores how recent leaps in the understanding of DNA offer astounding scientific promises -- and pose complex ethical issues. The Genomics Age probes the fundamental questions borne of advances in applied DNA science: Can we finally conquer cancer -- once and for all? Will we ever bridge the ideological and political divides in the stem cell debate? Does the rush to develop anti-aging drugs mean we are on the verge of finding the fountain of youth? As we genetically eliminate disease and pick and choose the attributes of our children, will knowing the code of life change what it means to be human? This groundbreaking work also discusses the rapidly expanding use of DNA technology to solve crimes, the business of genomics, and the implications for the economy and the investment community. As society grapples with the enormous challenge of a truly new frontier, we must all educate ourselves about the "what," even as we seek to answer the infinitely larger question of "why." The Genomics Age is the perfect place to begin. "A superb general-audience exposition of a complex subject that is already transforming our lives and will do so even more dramatically in the near future. Gina Smith demonstrates that her established skills at writing and at communicating science are just as impressive in combination as we already knew they were separately." |
Excerpt Therapeutic Cloning An Excerpt from THE GENOMICS AGE by Gina Smith INTRODUCTION The excerpt, below, is a brief, plain-English guide to stem cell research. It includes news of a breakthrough in non- reproductive parthenogenic cloning that may provide a socially-acceptable alternative to current harvesting techniques. Stem cell research is being used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and other degenerative diseases. Therapeutic Cloning by Gina Smith |
About the Author GINA SMITH is one of the best-known science and technology journalists in America today. As the former technology correspondent for ABC News, she has reported on stories for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Nightline with Ted Koppel, 20/20, Good Morning America, and This Week with Sam Donaldson. Her award-winning column, "Inside Silicon Valley," chronicled the world of tech for the San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner for a dozen years. Her sci-tech columns and stories have also appeared in such diverse publications as The Los Angeles Times, Wired, Popular Science, Upside, Glamour, and The Hollywood Reporter. Her weekly radio show, On Computer with Gina Smith, has reached millions of households in the United States and overseas, via the Armed Forces Radio Network. |
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