Synopsis
This volume is a compendium of essential information required by all cell and molecular biologists. As well as providing a wide range of core information needed by all researchers in the biomolecular sciences,it brings together additional selected information of importance from the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, genetics and molecular biology. This book will prove invaluable for all researchers in these fields. The Essential Data series provides rapid access to the core data required by researchers on a daily basis, in convenient pocket-sized volumes.
Alvin Telser
This new title in the Essential Data Series is a compact handbook filled with structures, tables, formulas, and brief written descriptions and definitions of the many materials and facts necessary to do research in a cell or molecular biology lab. It is printed and bound in such a way that it is read like a notepad, i.e., with the book spine at the top. The authors do not state a clear purpose or audience for this book in the preface, but it is clearly a handbook to be used directly at the lab bench or kept on a reference shelf. Because similar reference or handbooks are very large and cumbersome, this book represents a useful approach to a lab handbook and would appear to meet the author's objectives. Any lab researcher from undergraduate to senior faculty lab researchers would find this book a useful adjunct to their work. The dozens of lab techniques, formulas, and structures of basic cellular components, recipes for stock solutions, fractionation techniques, etc., would make this a worthwhile addition to most laboratories. The authors have done a fine job of assembling all the material. The book is filled with graphs, tables, and illustrations. The book is small, so most of the illustrations are small, but they are still legible. The references, table of contents, and index are very thorough and up-to-date. Appearance is not a major factor for this book. The notepad binding, although somewhat appealing, makes it a bit difficult to use a book with such a small format. A spiral binding would have made it more user-friendly. The overall quality and usefulness of this book should make it a popular addition to any laboratory. It is small, compact, complete, well referenced andcross-indexed, and contains a wealth of useful information. Individuals may find it more useful to own, but for some, occasional reference to it would be helpful. Therefore, bookstores and libraries should consider keeping this book on their shelves.