Overview
The Gene Business, the first detailed, analytic study of the corporate agenda for biotechnology, takes a close look at the for-profit use of genetic engineering and molecular biology. Alarmed by the possible long-term effects of corporate-controlled university research, which places decision-making power in the hands of expedient and sometimes short-sighted board members, Yoxen provides a readable account of how genetic engineering evolved from a pure science into a profitable business. With the intent of sparking public interest in biotechnology, he examines the structure and function of today's multinational gene business, the effects it has had to date, and its scientific, economic, social and political implications.
The Gene Business includes a short history of molecular biology and a basic, non-technical explanation of genetic engineering to provide readers with the background necessary to understand the biotechnological revolution. The first such book aimed at the general reader, it is sure to stir controversy and to raise questions about the direction in which biotechnology is leading us.