Gene Therapy Research
by Hal Marcovitz /
2010 / English / PDF
7.9 MB Download
Opening with an account of successful gene therapy for a rare eye disease, this introduction to the research goes on to speculate about future applications for other inherited diseases. Beginning with basic definitions of such terms as gene, human genome, and DNA, the well-organized narrative explains the impact of viruses, drugs, cloning, and stem cells on gene therapy and describes recent research, including failures as well as successes. The well-balanced coverage is heavy on text (though the typeface is quite easy to read) and includes concerns, fears, and ethical issues related to cloning, stem cell, and embryonic research. The photographs and diagrams, though a bit sparse, are well captioned. A time line and excellent back matter, including targeted facts and plenty of Web sites, make this Inside Science entry a good choice for school assignments. Linda Perkins
