Molecular Genetics of Bacterial Pathogenesis

From The Critics

Reviewer: Mark S. McBride, BS, PhD(University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
Description: This book is a tribute to Stanley Falkow, a founder and leader of the field of the molecular genetics of bacterial pathogenesis. It contains a number of chapters written by experts in their respective fields. The first chapters are entertaining historical accounts, although the later chapters survey the recent progress of the Falkow extended family (i.e., his former students and postdocs).
Purpose: The purpose is to survey recent progress in molecular biology of bacterial pathogenesis and present historical accounts of the development of the field. The emphasis is on the impact of Falkow and his students on the field. This is a worthy emphasis considering the staggering impact that the work of this one man has made. The book meets its overall objective well.
Audience: This book is intended for graduate students and other practicing scientists in the field of bacterial pathogenesis. The authors are experts in their fields and have produced a product that should serve this audience well.
Features: The quality of the illustrations, tables, and references varies somewhat between chapters, but is generally quite good. The table of contents and index are also adequate for the book.
Assessment: This is a useful book for students and scientists interested in bacterial pathogenesis. The first five chapters are entertaining for those who are familiar with the individual scientists. They may be less entertaining to the general public but do provide a historical context for the development of this field. Perhaps this section could have been a bit shorter. The remaining chapters are of generally high quality and present up-to-date reviews of the latest advances in this rapidly moving field.

Mark S. McBride

This book is a tribute to Stanley Falkow, a founder and leader of the field of the molecular genetics of bacterial pathogenesis. It contains a number of chapters written by experts in their respective fields. The first chapters are entertaining historical accounts, although the later chapters survey the recent progress of the Falkow extended family (i.e., his former students and postdocs). The purpose is to survey recent progress in molecular biology of bacterial pathogenesis and present historical accounts of the development of the field. The emphasis is on the impact of Falkow and his students on the field. This is a worthy emphasis considering the staggering impact that the work of this one man has made. The book meets its overall objective well. This book is intended for graduate students and other practicing scientists in the field of bacterial pathogenesis. The authors are experts in their fields and have produced a product that should serve this audience well. The quality of the illustrations, tables, and references varies somewhat between chapters, but is generally quite good. The table of contents and index are also adequate for the book. This is a useful book for students and scientists interested in bacterial pathogenesis. The first five chapters are entertaining for those who are familiar with the individual scientists. They may be less entertaining to the general public but do provide a historical context for the development of this field. Perhaps this section could have been a bit shorter. The remaining chapters are of generally high quality and present up-to-date reviews of the latest advances in this rapidly moving field.

Booknews

An overview of the progress in understanding microbial pathogenesis of important bacterial pathogens, offering insights into how these advances have been made via use of recombinant DNA and other molecular techniques. The first section of the book describes the experiments of Dr. Stanley Falkow, a pioneer in the field, during the 1960s. Alumni of the Falkow laboratory review key areas of molecular pathogenesis, such as adhesins, extracellular structures and products, and virulence gene regulation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR booknews.com

3 Stars from Doody