The Best Genetic Diseases Books of All Time

Recommended by Bill Gates and included in GatesNotes. "Elaborating on the science as well as the business behind the fight against cystic fibrosis, Trivedi captures the emotions of the families, doctors, and scientists involved in the clinical trials and their 'weeping with joy' as new drugs are approved, and shows how cystic fibrosis, once a 'death sentence,' became, for many, a manageable condition. This is a rewarding and challenging work.". —Publishers Weekly. Cystic fibrosis was once a mysterious disease that killed infants and children.

Now it could be the key to healing millions with genetic diseases of every type—from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to diabetes and sickle cell anemia. In 1974, Joey O'Donnell was born with strange symptoms. His insatiable appetite, incessant vomiting, and a relentless cough—which shook his tiny, fragile body and made it difficult to draw breath—confounded doctors and caused his parents agonizing, sleepless nights. After six sickly months, his salty skin provided the critical clue: he was one of thousands of Americans with cystic fibrosis, an inherited lung disorder that would most likely kill him before his first birthday. The gene and mutation responsible for CF were found in 1989—discoveries that promised to lead to a cure for kids like Joey. But treatments unexpectedly failed and CF was deemed incurable. It was only after the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a grassroots organization founded by parents, formed an unprecedented partnership with a fledgling biotech company that transformative leaps in drug development were harnessed to produce groundbreaking new treatments: pills that could fix the crippled protein at the root of this deadly disease. From science writer Bijal P. Trivedi, Breath from Salt chronicles the riveting saga of cystic fibrosis, from its ancient origins to its identification in the dank autopsy room of a hospital basement, and from the CF gene's celebrated status as one of the first human disease genes ever discovered to the groundbreaking targeted genetic therapies that now promise to cure it. Told from the perspectives of the patients, families, physicians, scientists, and philanthropists fighting on the front lines, Breath from Salt is a remarkable story of unlikely scientific and medical firsts, of setbacks and successes, and of people who refused to give up hope—and a fascinating peek into the future of genetics and medicine.

A popular and easy-to-use guide, this book is a must-have tool for clinical consultations in genetics and genomic medicine. Ideal for quick reference during practice, it covers the process of diagnosis, investigation, management, and counselling for patients. With a strong evidence base and international guidelines, it puts reliable and trustworthy guidance at your fingertips. Designed for use as a first-line guide, the A to Z format ensures it's accessible, and the simple layout makes it easy to assimilate information.

Highly illustrated, the book also contains up-to-date glossaries of terms used in genetics and dysmorphology providing quick reference for key concepts. The second edition is an eagerly anticipated update of the gold standard in the specialty. It covers new developments in the field, particularly the advent of genome-wide sequencing and major updates in cancer. Fifteen new topics have been added, including Sudden cardiac death, Neonatal screening, and Ciliopathies. The authors have used their experience to devise a practical clinical approach to many common genetic referrals, both outpatient and ward based. The most common Mendelian disorders, chromosomal disorders, congenital anomalies and syndromes are all covered, and where available diagnostic criteria are included. In addition there are chapters on familial cancer and pregnancy-related topics such as fetal anomalies, teratogens, prenatal and pre-implantation diagnosis and non-invasive prenatal testing. The book also provides information on the less common situations where management is particularly complex. Both practical and pertinent, Oxford Desk Reference: Clinical Genetics and Genomics is the companion you need by your side during clinical consultations.

A riveting medical mystery about a young woman’s quest to uncover the truth about her likely fatal genetic disorder that opens a window onto the exploding field of genomic medicine. When Joselin Linder was in her twenties her legs suddenly started to swell. After years of misdiagnoses, doctors discovered a deadly blockage in her liver. Struggling to find  an explanation for her unusual condition, Joselin compared the medical chart of her father—who had died from a mysterious disease, ten years prior—with that of an uncle who had died under similarly strange circumstances.

Delving further into the past, she discovered that her great-grandmother had displayed symptoms similar to hers before her death. Clearly, this was more than a fluke. Setting out to build a more complete picture of the illness that haunted her family, Joselin approached Dr. Christine Seidman, the head of a group of world-class genetic researchers at Harvard Medical School, for help. Dr. Seidman had been working on her family’s case for twenty years and had finally confirmed that fourteen of Joselin’s relatives carried something called a private mutation—meaning that they were the first known people to experience the baffling symptoms of a brand new genetic mutation. Here, Joselin tells the story of their gene: the lives it claimed and the future of genomic medicine with the potential to save those that remain. Digging into family records and medical history, conducting interviews with relatives and friends, and reflecting on her own experiences with the Harvard doctor, Joselin pieces together the lineage of this deadly gene to write a gripping and unforgettable exploration of family, history, and love. A compelling chronicle of survival and perseverance, The Family Gene is an important story of a young woman reckoning with her father’s death, her own mortality, and her ethical obligations to herself and those closest to her.