Fifteen years ago, many questioned the wisdom of sequencing the human genome. There were concerns not only about the technical feasibility of such an effort, but also that its scientific worth would prove too modest to warrant the investment of human and financial capital that the project would require. This collection of essays stands as eloquent testimony to those who overcame such doubts to create, nurture, and finish the sequencing of the human genome in April 2003, a date that will forever stand out in human history. The wide and public availability of the human genome sequence and the other tools spawned by the Human Genome Project have helped to create an unparalleled era of biomedical discovery. It has opened up new avenues for the understanding of the biology of human health and disease. Many of these avenues remain to be fully explored, but this volume already demonstrates that information about genetics and genomics is increasingly permeating our clinical approach to patients.--from the Foreword by Dr. Elias Zerhouni

For more than a century, knowledge about the role of genes has been gradually reshaping perceptions of our health and of ourselves. From Mendel's work with plants and Watson and Crick's model of DNA's double-helix structure to the recent decoding of the human genome, the tremendous advances in our ability to analyze and interpret gene sequences are revolutionizing many aspects of medicine. Genomic Medicine collects and updates an acclaimed series of articles published in the pages of the New England Journal of Medicine since November 2002 that together provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the field of medical genetics and an exploration of where these advances might take medicine over the next decade.

Beginning with a fundamental primer and a useful glossary of terms, the book offers the latest information on the use of genetics to screen, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of diseases, including breast and ovarian cancer and cardiovascular, Alzheimer, and Parkinson disease. Also included are discussions of population screening, pharmacogenetics, and the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of genomic medicine. Edited by leaders in the field, written by experts from around the globe, and brimming with full-color illustrations, Genomic Medicine is an indispensable guide to the full potential of the DNA-based transformation of medicine.

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., is director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health. He shepherded the Human Genome Project to completion in 2003. Alan E. Guttmacher, M.D., is deputy director of the NHGRI and director of its Office of Policy, Communication, and Education. Jeffrey M. Drazen, M.D., is Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine.