The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine by Francis S. Collins | Goodreads
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The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine
by
Francis S. Collins
3.99 · Rating details · 637 ratings · 70 reviews
"His groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease.” —Barack Obama
From Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health, 2007 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and 15-year head of the Human Genome Project, comes one of the most important medical books of the year: The Language of Life. With accessible, insightful prose, Dr. Collins describes the medical, scientific, and genetic revolution that is currently unlocking the secrets of “personalized medicine,” and offers practical advice on how to utilize these discoveries for you and your family’s current and future health and well-being. In the words of Dr. Jerome Groopman (How Doctors Think), The Language of Life “sets out hope without hype, and will enrich the mind and uplift the heart.” (less)
▾
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published January 5th 2010 by Harper (first published December 16th 2009)
Want to Read
Rate this book
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Preview
The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine
by
Francis S. Collins
3.99 · Rating details · 637 ratings · 70 reviews
"His groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease.” —Barack Obama
From Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health, 2007 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and 15-year head of the Human Genome Project, comes one of the most important medical books of the year: The Language of Life. With accessible, insightful prose, Dr. Collins describes the medical, scientific, and genetic revolution that is currently unlocking the secrets of “personalized medicine,” and offers practical advice on how to utilize these discoveries for you and your family’s current and future health and well-being. In the words of Dr. Jerome Groopman (How Doctors Think), The Language of Life “sets out hope without hype, and will enrich the mind and uplift the heart.” (less)
▾
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published January 5th 2010 by Harper (first published December 16th 2009)
===
Product description
Review
"His groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease."--President Barack Obama
"Man's knowledge of man is undergoing the greatest revolution since Leonardo, and Francis Collins is at the leading edge of it. I am a better doctor today because Dr. Collins was my genetics professor in medical school, and now, the world gets to benefit from his wisdom by reading The Language of Life."--Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Neurosurgeon at Emory University and Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN
"The future of customized medicine is in your DNA; don't wait until you are sick to learn why."--Dr. Mehmet Oz, author of You: The Owner's Manual
"With fluid prose and compelling narratives, Francis Collins makes modern medical science vivid and accessible. This book sets out hope without hype, and will enrich the mind and uplift the heart."--Jerome Groopman, M.D., Recanati Professor, Harvard Medical School, Author of How Doctors Think
From the Back Cover
A scientific and medical revolution has crept up on us. Twenty-one million Americans are affected by 6,000 so-called rare and orphan diseases, many of which are primarily attributable to misspelled genes. And virtually all diseases have a significant hereditary component. Diabetes, heart disease, the common cancers, mental illness, asthma, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and more are having their secrets unlocked through DNA. Families that faced common problems, without hope, are now discovering a new world of understanding, treatment, and prevention. You owe it to yourself to learn about your DNA: how it works, what it reveals, and the benefits and limits of this new knowledge.
About the Author
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., is a pioneer gene hunter. He spent fifteen years as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, where he led the international Human Genome Project to a successful completion. For his revolutionary contributions to genetic research he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007, and the National Medal of Science in 2009. He is the Director of the National Institutes of Health.
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G. R. Hunt
5.0 out of 5 stars A groundbreaking book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 January 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a must-have book for me; in fact, I want it on my Kindle as well as the physical book itself, which I already own. I just hope that the Kindle version is well indexed; sadly, many Kindle books are not.
The book is written by one of the world's top scientists, but he has the ability to communicate easily with most everyone by using real-life stories. It was a pleasure and a revelation to read and, for my family's sake, I need to follow up on this.
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Mr. S. J. Mckee
5.0 out of 5 stars Grateful for Francis Collins
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 February 2018
Verified Purchase
What a great book by a first class man who has contributed so much to the science of genetics for the world. An amazing read for student and layperson alike.
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AmazonCustomer
5.0 out of 5 stars The best book in the world
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2013
Verified Purchase
I don't quite know where to start. This is just an awesome, informative book. I have now ordered all of Francis Collins' other books.
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Petre Maierean
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
Reviewed in Canada on 15 October 2018
Verified Purchase
The Author of the book makes it easy for non specialists (like me) to understand the full potential of genetics for personalized medicine. I like the story telling style and clarity of the message conveyed though the book
One person found this helpful
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Rajesh Nair
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 17 December 2017
Verified Purchase
Great read on Genomics and good text for the layman to understand biology and the language of life !
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Jun 25, 2010Jeremy rated it it was ok
(forthcoming review in the World Medical and Health Policy)
Dr. Francis Collins is one of the most distinguished scientists of his generation, not just in America but around the world. His work in genetics stands at the pinnacle of medical science, and his role in the Human Genome Project as administrator and researcher will be long remembered.
One anticipates with great interest reading his thoughts on how DNA will revolutionize medicine.
One would be largely disappointed.
The Language of Life, Collins’ attempt to provide a guide to this revolution for the layman, isn’t a bad book. It’s just not a very exciting or interesting or well-organized one.
Worse, it shows the impact of editing for mass marketing in two lamentable respects. First, and most importantly, the book has been “Oprahfied.” It’s almost painful to read as the distinguished director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ends each chapter with commonplace advice on exercising more, how to learn more about genetic racial identity on the web, and how to stop smoking. “(q)uitting is hard. But help is available!” gushes Collins.
While almost all of Collins’ advice is correct and would improve our health, much of it is only tangentially related to the deeper questions of genetic medicine.
Second, Collins puts much of the basic science about genetics in a short appendix, as if his readers would not be able to handle it in the text itself.
The largest problem, though, is that Collins is not a particularly gifted writer. In his hands, the complex remains quite complex, and lacks poetry or beauty. In the hands of a great science writer, like James Gleick, impossibly dense topics like quantum physics come alive. Here, even potentially moving stories about individuals wrestling with genetic diseases often fall flat.
The writing is sometimes clunky, and never inspired. “Debates…rage” on page 86, and also on page 87.
The book moves from topic to topic without much connection or narrative. It also shows sign of hasty construction, as on page 85, when the exact procedures used by the major direct-to-consumer DNA analysis companies are outlined for a second time.
With all these defects, it should be noted that the book rewards the persistent reader with a multitude of insights. The majesty and power of DNA in shaping our medical destinies is conveyed, and readers will be struck again and again that one or two changes among 3 billion base pairs of DNA in our genome can result in stunning alterations to our lives.
For medical professionals around the world, this book serves as a useful compendium of the state of genetic medicine, 2010. It covers topics such as pharmacogenomics (the study of how our specific genetic variations make any given medicine more or less effective, or even toxic), genetic therapy, ethical dilemmas in genetics, and genetic testing, and covers them well.
Collins is deeply ambivalent, to say the least, about the intersection of corporate power and genetic research. We see it manifest itself most personally in near total avoidance of Craig Venter, except to describe him in the appendix as a “maverick.” Given that these two men shared the cover of Time Magazine for heading the two projects that successfully mapped the human genome for the first time, this may seem odd, unless one knows of the years of tension between the governmental researcher Collins and the privately funded Venter. In Venter’s book about the race to unlock the genome, Collins was frequently, and perhaps unfairly, depicted as an adversary. Collins may have sought to seem more mature by not using his own book to attack back, but leaving Venter out of the story almost entirely seems petty as well.
And while readers may end up sympathizing with Collins on the merits, or at least share his fears about the commercialization of genetics, they may regret that his side of the argument isn’t presented with more passion, skill, and panache.
(less)
flag7 likes · Like · comment · see review
Sep 28, 2010Julie rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction-general
This isn't a book I'd usually pick up. Written by the director of the Human Genome Project, it's all about genetics and how recent revolutions in that field will affect the future of personalized medicine. That said, it's very well-written. Dr. Collins writes for a lay audience, presenting enough basic genetics for the reader to understand his points (sometimes accompanied by helpful illustrations) but yet not enough to make the content overwhelming.
Each section touches on some aspect of genetics, highlighted by case studies. Discussions start with conditions where a single "misspelled" letter in the genome causes disease (like cystic fibrosis) or much higher susceptibility to disease (like the BRCA1/2 variant yielding much higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer). But they broaden out to conditions where multiple genes are at work (to greater or lesser extent), how genes might interact with environmental conditions, what role your genes might have in personality traits or aging, and a number of other highly interesting topics. Collins mentions that some companies are already offering to sequence your entire genome for you and analyze the findings, and then discusses whether people would actually want to know their own risk factors. (The answer, like so many things, is: "It depends.") At the end of each chapter is a short list of practical action steps you can take now, with the resources currently available.
Collins ends with a section on the potential future of genetics and personalized medicine. I expect that just about everything he talks about beyond the next 5-10 years is going to prove to be wrong, just because the field is moving so fast. Collins himself admits that advances in the last 2-3 years would have seemed far-fetched as little as seven or eight years ago. I don't expect that pace to slow down any time soon. And I look forward to seeing some of that progress actually trickle down to the level of individualized care for the average person. (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
Dec 19, 2013David rated it it was amazing
Really easy to read and digest book about the recent discoveries in the human genome project and general genetic research but someone who really knows. I learnt a lot and can now understand what a gene is, a base pair, and an insight into how one mis-spell in the genome could lead to a devastating health condition. The book is written for the guy in the street to understand how these terms will become more and more important as consumers get access to genetic maps of their own body. I think everyone will need to be more conversant with DNA and how a deeper knowledge of what it is and how it works and how it can affect their life. (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
Nov 24, 2016Jun Yang rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Dry
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
May 08, 2019Ayla rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Interesting work in genetics
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Jan 10, 2016Manuel rated it it was amazing
This book is best for people that have an interest in genetics, but maybe not for those that are already familiar with the subject. The reason I say that is because there is plenty of introductory-level concepts in here, enough to familiarize a wandering eye but a little dull for someone who may have a few college level courses on cellular biology.
The purpose of this book is not necessarily to go in depth and analyze the ins and outs of the relationship between medicine and the genome. Rather, it's to inspire its reader to take their future into their own hands. It's to show that we can be in control of our health more than many assume. I think the author does a good job of providing examples of different diseases related to the genome, what is being done about some of these diseases in the medical field, and how individuals' lives have been spared due to proper precautions.
Personally, I would have really enjoyed to read more of the mechanisms behind some of these illnesses, but I understand that it's not necessarily imperative to the book's purpose or message. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Sep 12, 2017Andrew rated it liked it
Shelves: medical
Dr. Francis Collins is well-known for his work in genetics especially on the Human Genome Project.
This book discusses the future of DNA in medicine. The organization is poor and the reader engagement is lacking. The actual science of DNA is glossed over to focus on self-help messages like stop smoking and obesity. The appendix does have a bit more detail about DNA science but at that point the reader is finished with the book.
A few random observations are included in the spoiler:
(view spoiler) (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Feb 26, 2015Eric Chen rated it really liked it
A very solid book on the latest implications of genetic science on medicine. Coming from a renowned scientist, quality of the information is very high. One finds the typical caveats and qualifiers associated with the cutting edge of science. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a solid, well informed and balanced introduction to the fascinating topic of personalized medicine.
The author tried to keep the science in the book at a rather low level which is an understandable choice. If anyone knows a more in depth treatment of the same or a similar topic, I would appreciate a pointer.
The author also avoided delving too deeply into topics fraught with controversies. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Apr 26, 2021Jon rated it really liked it
I was just browsing the New Books section at the library and saw this book, decided it sounded interesting. I wasn't wrong. Collins is the former head of the Human Genome Project, so he's seen the field of genetics explode over the last few decades, providing him with unrivaled insights into the past, present and future of the intersection of genetics and medicine. Given some of his discussions of hemophilia in the book, one could rightfully say he's on the bleeding edge of this technology.
Mundanely enough, Collins says that the single most important source of information about your future health is to be found...in your family health history! "Family health history turns out to be the strongest of all currently measurable risk factors for many common conditions..."
Collins mentions the science fiction film, GATTACA, when he's discussing the potential of newborn genetic screening. Strangely enough, I've never watched that film, and it suddenly dawned on me as I was reading The Language of Life that the title of the film is a genetic code, containing the letters for the four DNA bases, Guanine, Adenine, Cytosine and Thymine. Insert forehead smack here. Interestingly, he says it's estimated that 60 to 70 percent of one's adult body weight is determined by genes, so if a child is born with a predisposition to obesity, parents could adjust the child's diet so as to avoid the all too commonly seen childhood obesity later on.
It's even possible to do a genetic scan earlier than at birth, with a process called PGD (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis). This isn't practical for naturally conceived children, but for parents undergoing IVF (in-vitro fertilization) procedures. At the eight-cell stage of division, it's possible to remove one cell without affection future development of the embryo, and to then perform a genetic scan. Of course, there are ethical questions raised about what we do with this information, but if it was used to inform the parents or the child, itself, of possible future medical issues, rather than as a go/no go decision point to abort the fetus, I don't think most people would have an ethical problem with it, any more than performing an amniocentesis is done today.
There are actually several readily available commercial genetic screening tests at this time, which can scan for some of the most common genetic risk factors. They're a little spendy, but what's it worth to know that you're at a higher risk for a specific disease than the general population and to be able to take preventative steps? Some of the more common diseases for which genetic risk factors are well-identified are heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, and diabetes.
Collins describes the three types of genes that have a role in preventing cancer; any of which can pose a cancer risk when they're defective. There are the oncogenes, which code for proteins that normally promote cell growth. The oncogenes' growth signals are ordinarily tightly regulated, occuring only in the right conditions. A mutation in this type of gene, however, can remove the restraints from the growth signal, causing cell growth to go out of control, like a Toyota on the highway. There are also cancer genes called tumor suppressors, whose function, as you might suspect, is to act as a brake on cell growth when it's time for cells to stop growing. One of these genes, called p53, actually stops the process of cell replication if it determines that the DNA in those cells has been damaged. A third type of cancer gene is one that performs like a DNA spell-checker. If there are defects in the genetic code, it will create repair enzymes to fix the code.
Collins says that most of the mutations in a cancer cell are not hereditary, but are acquired during a person's lifetime. Just the error rate in copying 6 billion base pairs of DNA in the 400 trillion cells within the human body causes most of these mutations, without taking into account any envirommental effects. That most of us go through life without being afflicted with cancer is the result of the work of the cancer-preventing genes.
Knowing how these and other genes do their work has proven key in the treatment of a number of diseases. This knowledge has helped doctors and pharmaceutical companies develop drugs that treat the causes of some diseases at a genetic level, or by stimulating production or suppression of proteins that are lacking or in too much abundance. It has helped avoid some adverse drug reactions - what was the figure he used? - there are 100,000 deaths a year in the U.S. alone from adverse drug reactions!
The areas where genetics is a little less sure are that of personality, spirituality, intelligence, and sexuality. In his section on researching the causes of male infidelity, Collins mentions one fun fact you can use to astonish your friends. Among North American voles, "Prairie voles make lifelong monogamous pair bonds, while their close relatives, the montane and meadow voles, do not, indulging instead in a series of one-night stands." So Tiger does have an excuse; he wasn't under his own vole-ition.
In total, this book is fascinating reading for the layperson. Collins does a great job of explaining a horrendously complex subject in simple words and sentences. (less)
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Jul 31, 2018Matthew Aujla rated it liked it
The book is dated. This is a snapshot from 2009. It needs an update to be useful and recurring updates to stay that way. Watson’s DNA:The story of the Genetic Revolution is a good example of useful update.
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Dec 08, 2015Shahd Bensaoud rated it liked it · review of another edition
To be honest, I didn't read the full book. I read some chapters as an extra reading for one of modules, genetics of common disease. (less)
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Nov 08, 2019Brian rated it really liked it
This was a nice review of our growing understanding of genomics and how it can influence our health through both preventative measures and directing personalized treatments of disease. While we're still a long way from personalizing all medical decisions according to an individual's genome, I found the suggestion to record own's family health history to be very useful for starting conversations with family about the genetic basis of some diseases. The tool suggested (found at https://phgkb.cdc.gov/FHH/html/index....) was pretty good, and I'll be using it this holiday season to find out more about my family health history. (less)
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May 21, 2017Al Green rated it it was amazing
I felt this was a great book especially for those without a scientific background or those beginning to have an interest in genetics.
As a medical student with a BS in Biochemistry I did find a lot of the book to be fairly basic and I was left wanting more after several of the chapters. With that said, I did learn quite a bit and did enjoy the real world examples that Dr. Collins provided
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May 14, 2021Jennifer Schmidt rated it it was amazing
Audiobook. One of my top books for 2021 so far. Much respect for Dr. Francis Collins. Enjoyed listening to this book having watched him on the news for much of this past pandemic year. I will buy a copy of this book so I can reread and highlight parts I want to remember. If you’re a science geek, you will enjoy this book.
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Sep 29, 2017Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition
Both smart and opinionated, shed basic light on some of the genetic test advancements and his fear of stem cell morality later in the book. Not a bad read for those looking to learn more general information but should be warned it is just one scientist's opinion. (less)
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Nov 03, 2017Brianna Berrios rated it liked it
Was personally too low-level for me & was a little uncomfortable with how much personal opinion Collins injected into his writing. Writing style was occasionally too bland as well. Topics were interesting, but unraveling of said topics was not.
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Jan 30, 2018Hassane Charafeddine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A breathtaking book, written in an amazing way. A mix of science and life styles, where ethical approaches were never missed. It is a must read for all people so they can master the language of their lives!
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Aug 12, 2021Anna Hanson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: books-i-own
Dr Collins makes complex information understandable and accessible to the nonprofessional reader. A fascinating look at the history of the Human Genome research, with tantalizing visions of potential uses for the future.
Write a review
Jun 25, 2010Jeremy rated it it was ok
(forthcoming review in the World Medical and Health Policy)
Dr. Francis Collins is one of the most distinguished scientists of his generation, not just in America but around the world. His work in genetics stands at the pinnacle of medical science, and his role in the Human Genome Project as administrator and researcher will be long remembered.
One anticipates with great interest reading his thoughts on how DNA will revolutionize medicine.
One would be largely disappointed.
The Language of Life, Collins’ attempt to provide a guide to this revolution for the layman, isn’t a bad book. It’s just not a very exciting or interesting or well-organized one.
Worse, it shows the impact of editing for mass marketing in two lamentable respects. First, and most importantly, the book has been “Oprahfied.” It’s almost painful to read as the distinguished director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ends each chapter with commonplace advice on exercising more, how to learn more about genetic racial identity on the web, and how to stop smoking. “(q)uitting is hard. But help is available!” gushes Collins.
While almost all of Collins’ advice is correct and would improve our health, much of it is only tangentially related to the deeper questions of genetic medicine.
Second, Collins puts much of the basic science about genetics in a short appendix, as if his readers would not be able to handle it in the text itself.
The largest problem, though, is that Collins is not a particularly gifted writer. In his hands, the complex remains quite complex, and lacks poetry or beauty. In the hands of a great science writer, like James Gleick, impossibly dense topics like quantum physics come alive. Here, even potentially moving stories about individuals wrestling with genetic diseases often fall flat.
The writing is sometimes clunky, and never inspired. “Debates…rage” on page 86, and also on page 87.
The book moves from topic to topic without much connection or narrative. It also shows sign of hasty construction, as on page 85, when the exact procedures used by the major direct-to-consumer DNA analysis companies are outlined for a second time.
With all these defects, it should be noted that the book rewards the persistent reader with a multitude of insights. The majesty and power of DNA in shaping our medical destinies is conveyed, and readers will be struck again and again that one or two changes among 3 billion base pairs of DNA in our genome can result in stunning alterations to our lives.
For medical professionals around the world, this book serves as a useful compendium of the state of genetic medicine, 2010. It covers topics such as pharmacogenomics (the study of how our specific genetic variations make any given medicine more or less effective, or even toxic), genetic therapy, ethical dilemmas in genetics, and genetic testing, and covers them well.
Collins is deeply ambivalent, to say the least, about the intersection of corporate power and genetic research. We see it manifest itself most personally in near total avoidance of Craig Venter, except to describe him in the appendix as a “maverick.” Given that these two men shared the cover of Time Magazine for heading the two projects that successfully mapped the human genome for the first time, this may seem odd, unless one knows of the years of tension between the governmental researcher Collins and the privately funded Venter. In Venter’s book about the race to unlock the genome, Collins was frequently, and perhaps unfairly, depicted as an adversary. Collins may have sought to seem more mature by not using his own book to attack back, but leaving Venter out of the story almost entirely seems petty as well.
And while readers may end up sympathizing with Collins on the merits, or at least share his fears about the commercialization of genetics, they may regret that his side of the argument isn’t presented with more passion, skill, and panache.
(less)
flag7 likes · Like · comment · see review
Sep 28, 2010Julie rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction-general
This isn't a book I'd usually pick up. Written by the director of the Human Genome Project, it's all about genetics and how recent revolutions in that field will affect the future of personalized medicine. That said, it's very well-written. Dr. Collins writes for a lay audience, presenting enough basic genetics for the reader to understand his points (sometimes accompanied by helpful illustrations) but yet not enough to make the content overwhelming.
Each section touches on some aspect of genetics, highlighted by case studies. Discussions start with conditions where a single "misspelled" letter in the genome causes disease (like cystic fibrosis) or much higher susceptibility to disease (like the BRCA1/2 variant yielding much higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer). But they broaden out to conditions where multiple genes are at work (to greater or lesser extent), how genes might interact with environmental conditions, what role your genes might have in personality traits or aging, and a number of other highly interesting topics. Collins mentions that some companies are already offering to sequence your entire genome for you and analyze the findings, and then discusses whether people would actually want to know their own risk factors. (The answer, like so many things, is: "It depends.") At the end of each chapter is a short list of practical action steps you can take now, with the resources currently available.
Collins ends with a section on the potential future of genetics and personalized medicine. I expect that just about everything he talks about beyond the next 5-10 years is going to prove to be wrong, just because the field is moving so fast. Collins himself admits that advances in the last 2-3 years would have seemed far-fetched as little as seven or eight years ago. I don't expect that pace to slow down any time soon. And I look forward to seeing some of that progress actually trickle down to the level of individualized care for the average person. (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
Dec 19, 2013David rated it it was amazing
Really easy to read and digest book about the recent discoveries in the human genome project and general genetic research but someone who really knows. I learnt a lot and can now understand what a gene is, a base pair, and an insight into how one mis-spell in the genome could lead to a devastating health condition. The book is written for the guy in the street to understand how these terms will become more and more important as consumers get access to genetic maps of their own body. I think everyone will need to be more conversant with DNA and how a deeper knowledge of what it is and how it works and how it can affect their life. (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
Nov 24, 2016Jun Yang rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Dry
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review
May 08, 2019Ayla rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Interesting work in genetics
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Jan 10, 2016Manuel rated it it was amazing
This book is best for people that have an interest in genetics, but maybe not for those that are already familiar with the subject. The reason I say that is because there is plenty of introductory-level concepts in here, enough to familiarize a wandering eye but a little dull for someone who may have a few college level courses on cellular biology.
The purpose of this book is not necessarily to go in depth and analyze the ins and outs of the relationship between medicine and the genome. Rather, it's to inspire its reader to take their future into their own hands. It's to show that we can be in control of our health more than many assume. I think the author does a good job of providing examples of different diseases related to the genome, what is being done about some of these diseases in the medical field, and how individuals' lives have been spared due to proper precautions.
Personally, I would have really enjoyed to read more of the mechanisms behind some of these illnesses, but I understand that it's not necessarily imperative to the book's purpose or message. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Sep 12, 2017Andrew rated it liked it
Shelves: medical
Dr. Francis Collins is well-known for his work in genetics especially on the Human Genome Project.
This book discusses the future of DNA in medicine. The organization is poor and the reader engagement is lacking. The actual science of DNA is glossed over to focus on self-help messages like stop smoking and obesity. The appendix does have a bit more detail about DNA science but at that point the reader is finished with the book.
A few random observations are included in the spoiler:
(view spoiler) (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Feb 26, 2015Eric Chen rated it really liked it
A very solid book on the latest implications of genetic science on medicine. Coming from a renowned scientist, quality of the information is very high. One finds the typical caveats and qualifiers associated with the cutting edge of science. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a solid, well informed and balanced introduction to the fascinating topic of personalized medicine.
The author tried to keep the science in the book at a rather low level which is an understandable choice. If anyone knows a more in depth treatment of the same or a similar topic, I would appreciate a pointer.
The author also avoided delving too deeply into topics fraught with controversies. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Apr 26, 2021Jon rated it really liked it
I was just browsing the New Books section at the library and saw this book, decided it sounded interesting. I wasn't wrong. Collins is the former head of the Human Genome Project, so he's seen the field of genetics explode over the last few decades, providing him with unrivaled insights into the past, present and future of the intersection of genetics and medicine. Given some of his discussions of hemophilia in the book, one could rightfully say he's on the bleeding edge of this technology.
Mundanely enough, Collins says that the single most important source of information about your future health is to be found...in your family health history! "Family health history turns out to be the strongest of all currently measurable risk factors for many common conditions..."
Collins mentions the science fiction film, GATTACA, when he's discussing the potential of newborn genetic screening. Strangely enough, I've never watched that film, and it suddenly dawned on me as I was reading The Language of Life that the title of the film is a genetic code, containing the letters for the four DNA bases, Guanine, Adenine, Cytosine and Thymine. Insert forehead smack here. Interestingly, he says it's estimated that 60 to 70 percent of one's adult body weight is determined by genes, so if a child is born with a predisposition to obesity, parents could adjust the child's diet so as to avoid the all too commonly seen childhood obesity later on.
It's even possible to do a genetic scan earlier than at birth, with a process called PGD (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis). This isn't practical for naturally conceived children, but for parents undergoing IVF (in-vitro fertilization) procedures. At the eight-cell stage of division, it's possible to remove one cell without affection future development of the embryo, and to then perform a genetic scan. Of course, there are ethical questions raised about what we do with this information, but if it was used to inform the parents or the child, itself, of possible future medical issues, rather than as a go/no go decision point to abort the fetus, I don't think most people would have an ethical problem with it, any more than performing an amniocentesis is done today.
There are actually several readily available commercial genetic screening tests at this time, which can scan for some of the most common genetic risk factors. They're a little spendy, but what's it worth to know that you're at a higher risk for a specific disease than the general population and to be able to take preventative steps? Some of the more common diseases for which genetic risk factors are well-identified are heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, and diabetes.
Collins describes the three types of genes that have a role in preventing cancer; any of which can pose a cancer risk when they're defective. There are the oncogenes, which code for proteins that normally promote cell growth. The oncogenes' growth signals are ordinarily tightly regulated, occuring only in the right conditions. A mutation in this type of gene, however, can remove the restraints from the growth signal, causing cell growth to go out of control, like a Toyota on the highway. There are also cancer genes called tumor suppressors, whose function, as you might suspect, is to act as a brake on cell growth when it's time for cells to stop growing. One of these genes, called p53, actually stops the process of cell replication if it determines that the DNA in those cells has been damaged. A third type of cancer gene is one that performs like a DNA spell-checker. If there are defects in the genetic code, it will create repair enzymes to fix the code.
Collins says that most of the mutations in a cancer cell are not hereditary, but are acquired during a person's lifetime. Just the error rate in copying 6 billion base pairs of DNA in the 400 trillion cells within the human body causes most of these mutations, without taking into account any envirommental effects. That most of us go through life without being afflicted with cancer is the result of the work of the cancer-preventing genes.
Knowing how these and other genes do their work has proven key in the treatment of a number of diseases. This knowledge has helped doctors and pharmaceutical companies develop drugs that treat the causes of some diseases at a genetic level, or by stimulating production or suppression of proteins that are lacking or in too much abundance. It has helped avoid some adverse drug reactions - what was the figure he used? - there are 100,000 deaths a year in the U.S. alone from adverse drug reactions!
The areas where genetics is a little less sure are that of personality, spirituality, intelligence, and sexuality. In his section on researching the causes of male infidelity, Collins mentions one fun fact you can use to astonish your friends. Among North American voles, "Prairie voles make lifelong monogamous pair bonds, while their close relatives, the montane and meadow voles, do not, indulging instead in a series of one-night stands." So Tiger does have an excuse; he wasn't under his own vole-ition.
In total, this book is fascinating reading for the layperson. Collins does a great job of explaining a horrendously complex subject in simple words and sentences. (less)
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Jul 31, 2018Matthew Aujla rated it liked it
The book is dated. This is a snapshot from 2009. It needs an update to be useful and recurring updates to stay that way. Watson’s DNA:The story of the Genetic Revolution is a good example of useful update.
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Dec 08, 2015Shahd Bensaoud rated it liked it · review of another edition
To be honest, I didn't read the full book. I read some chapters as an extra reading for one of modules, genetics of common disease. (less)
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Nov 08, 2019Brian rated it really liked it
This was a nice review of our growing understanding of genomics and how it can influence our health through both preventative measures and directing personalized treatments of disease. While we're still a long way from personalizing all medical decisions according to an individual's genome, I found the suggestion to record own's family health history to be very useful for starting conversations with family about the genetic basis of some diseases. The tool suggested (found at https://phgkb.cdc.gov/FHH/html/index....) was pretty good, and I'll be using it this holiday season to find out more about my family health history. (less)
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May 21, 2017Al Green rated it it was amazing
I felt this was a great book especially for those without a scientific background or those beginning to have an interest in genetics.
As a medical student with a BS in Biochemistry I did find a lot of the book to be fairly basic and I was left wanting more after several of the chapters. With that said, I did learn quite a bit and did enjoy the real world examples that Dr. Collins provided
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May 14, 2021Jennifer Schmidt rated it it was amazing
Audiobook. One of my top books for 2021 so far. Much respect for Dr. Francis Collins. Enjoyed listening to this book having watched him on the news for much of this past pandemic year. I will buy a copy of this book so I can reread and highlight parts I want to remember. If you’re a science geek, you will enjoy this book.
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Sep 29, 2017Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition
Both smart and opinionated, shed basic light on some of the genetic test advancements and his fear of stem cell morality later in the book. Not a bad read for those looking to learn more general information but should be warned it is just one scientist's opinion. (less)
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Nov 03, 2017Brianna Berrios rated it liked it
Was personally too low-level for me & was a little uncomfortable with how much personal opinion Collins injected into his writing. Writing style was occasionally too bland as well. Topics were interesting, but unraveling of said topics was not.
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Jan 30, 2018Hassane Charafeddine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A breathtaking book, written in an amazing way. A mix of science and life styles, where ethical approaches were never missed. It is a must read for all people so they can master the language of their lives!
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Aug 12, 2021Anna Hanson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: books-i-own
Dr Collins makes complex information understandable and accessible to the nonprofessional reader. A fascinating look at the history of the Human Genome research, with tantalizing visions of potential uses for the future.
