The Human Genome Project

School Library Journal

Gr 10 UpMarshall presents an overview of this incredible undertaking, currently midway into its 15-year quest to map and sequence all of the 50,000 to 100,000 human genes and to discover the function of every chromosome. The Project's history, governance, and structure are outlined in a way that yields a fair understanding of its purposes and accomplishments to date. The author describes how the independent work of thousands of scientists and technicians in small laboratories and large research complexes are kept on track, along with some of the major discoveries they have produced. These include pinpointing the genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and certain types of mental retardation. Many diagrams and simple explanations reveal the functions of DNA and chromosomes. Techniques used by scientists to find genetic markers and to create physical and genetic linkage maps of chromosomes are simplified for understanding, yet are fundamentally accurate. Supplementary material includes a lengthy glossary, source notes, a list of (U.S.) government publications, and a highly detailed index. The nature of the Human Genome Project, a work in progress yielding new discoveries almost daily, makes a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute printed publication impossible. Nonetheless, this book provides a satisfactorily complete look at an extremely complicated endeavor.Ann G. Brouse, Big Flats Branch Library, NY