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Digital Code of Life: How Bioinformatics is Revolutionizing Science, Medicine, and Business
A behind-the-scenes look at the most lucrative discipline within biotechnology
Bioinformatics represents a new area of opportunity for investors and industry participants. Companies are spending billions on the potentially lucrative products that will come from bioinformatics. This book looks at what companies like Merck, Glaxo SmithKline Beecham, and Celera, and hospitals are doing to maneuver themselves to leadership positions in this area. Filled with in-depth insights and surprising revelations, Digital Code of Life examines the personalities who have brought bioinformatics to life and explores the commercial applications and investment opportunities of the most lucrative discipline within genomics.
Glyn Moody (London, UK) has published numerous articles in Wired magazine. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book Rebel Code.
Bioinformatics represents a new area of opportunity for investors and industry participants. Companies are spending billions on the potentially lucrative products that will come from bioinformatics. This book looks at what companies like Merck, Glaxo SmithKline Beecham, and Celera, and hospitals are doing to maneuver themselves to leadership positions in this area. Filled with in-depth insights and surprising revelations, Digital Code of Life examines the personalities who have brought bioinformatics to life and explores the commercial applications and investment opportunities of the most lucrative discipline within genomics.
Glyn Moody (London, UK) has published numerous articles in Wired magazine. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book Rebel Code.
- GenresScience
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2004
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July 7, 2015
I'm a bit knowledgeable on the field of bioinformatics so getting through this book was quite manageable. However, I can't in good faith claim to have understood everything in it. This tome was ... well dense. This is why I think I'm going to have to do a slow, more thorough read of it not too far into the future. It goes without saying, but having a biological / computer science background is a definite pre-requisite if you want to get the most out of this book.
In any case, the book was an eye-opening read for me. Up until now I've only had a dry, 'textbook' kind of understanding of the developments that have taken place in biology over the past 50 years. After having read the book however, I feel like I have a richer more balanced understanding (at least 'richer' than before). This is largely thanks to Moody's decision to fully explore the 'human' element in every section of the book. For example in the middle third of the book, his biography of Craig Venter, one of bioinformatics' most fascinating figures, is laudable. Venter's life harbors the same glitz and spectacle that's typically associated with famous entertainers and/or actors. That such a personality such as his could exist in a field as arcane as Bioinformatics was definitely a shock to me. Even though Venter's the only member of the bioinformatics Who Who that I found interesting, Moody captures the rest of them pretty well too.
Each chapter is fairly self-contained. While the technical sections of the book erred on the dull side, they were sufficiently short enough that I could skip / skim them without feeling lost. I read the book in sequence. Based on how the book's been structured though, I'm guessing that a more scattered read would have yielded me the same results. The events in the book aren't outlined in a sequential manner. There's a whole lot of jumping around, which can get tiresome after a while. For any potential readers, I'd advise not attacking this book half-heartedly. More than once I remember opening up the book to where I had last read, and being completely lost / confused. Unless you're truly motivated / interested this is a book that could easily lie forgotten in the nether regions of your book shelf.
A great book, that I'll hopefully re-read in a couple of months. No less than 5 stars from me.
In any case, the book was an eye-opening read for me. Up until now I've only had a dry, 'textbook' kind of understanding of the developments that have taken place in biology over the past 50 years. After having read the book however, I feel like I have a richer more balanced understanding (at least 'richer' than before). This is largely thanks to Moody's decision to fully explore the 'human' element in every section of the book. For example in the middle third of the book, his biography of Craig Venter, one of bioinformatics' most fascinating figures, is laudable. Venter's life harbors the same glitz and spectacle that's typically associated with famous entertainers and/or actors. That such a personality such as his could exist in a field as arcane as Bioinformatics was definitely a shock to me. Even though Venter's the only member of the bioinformatics Who Who that I found interesting, Moody captures the rest of them pretty well too.
Each chapter is fairly self-contained. While the technical sections of the book erred on the dull side, they were sufficiently short enough that I could skip / skim them without feeling lost. I read the book in sequence. Based on how the book's been structured though, I'm guessing that a more scattered read would have yielded me the same results. The events in the book aren't outlined in a sequential manner. There's a whole lot of jumping around, which can get tiresome after a while. For any potential readers, I'd advise not attacking this book half-heartedly. More than once I remember opening up the book to where I had last read, and being completely lost / confused. Unless you're truly motivated / interested this is a book that could easily lie forgotten in the nether regions of your book shelf.
A great book, that I'll hopefully re-read in a couple of months. No less than 5 stars from me.
Displaying 1 of 1 review