CRC Handbook of Gene Level Diagnostics in Clinical Practice

Book excerpt: Handbook of Gene Level Diagnostics in Clinical Practice provides an overview of the latest representative world literature available on gene level evaluation of human inherited and acquired diseases. The relative merits and limitations of molecular biological techniques (DNA ploidy, cytogenetic, hybridization and restriction analyses, PCR) for the evaluation of gene expression for patient management including quality control issues are critically discussed. Current views on aging, DNA repair, DNA methylation, repetitive DNA, genomic imprinting, mitochondrial DNA and drug resistance as well as efforts of the Human Genome Project are summarized to emphasize their importance to disease evaluation at the gene level. Main topics include prenatal diagnosis identity testing, tumors of various organs, inherited conditions, and infectious and hematological diseases. The broad perspective of Handbook of Gene Level Diagnostics in Clinical Practice makes it an essential reference on gene-level diagnostics for professionals in biology, medicine, and biotechnology. Students should consider it as an excellent supplementary volume for courses dealing with medico-biological issues at the gene level.