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Genomics Protocols was compiled as a comprehensive manual for whole-genome research and analysis. The topics can be put loosely into five categories: gene mapping (including discovery, identification, and localization), expression profiling, protein structure and function, gene therapy, and bioinformatics. Therefore the content is broader than genomics, covering “genomic-scale” research. The book is written for researchers in the field who want to expand their genomic analysis as well as researchers who want to enter into this world. Each section is complete with background information, detailed materials, step-by-step methods, and notes.

Different authors contributed to each of the more than 30 chapters in this book. An advantage of numerous contributors is that each chapter is written by experts who have performed the experiments successfully. Because of the multiple contributors, similar procedures are outlined in several chapters, although examining overlapping methods of different laboratories may be useful in setting up the procedure in your laboratory. Chapters also differ slightly in the detail provided.

Although this is a comprehensive book, the editors may not have achieved the goal to provide a guide for beginners in the field. The methods are detailed, but a true beginner may have difficulty with some of the terminology. An exciting potential exists to transition some of these methods into the clinical laboratory. Near-future clinical applications include single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotyping for complex genetic diseases, expression profiling for cancers, and gene therapy. Clinicians interested in setting up these methods will need to modify the protocols to meet clinical needs.

Highlights of the book include computer programs and websites for data analysis and entrance into the world of proteomics. The comprehensive lists of materials and sources are useful, particularly when commercial sources are not available. Flowcharts and outlines of procedures are well done and supplement the protocols well. Detailed step-by-step procedures are given, although the only way to judge how complete procedures are is to try them at the bench (which admittedly I did not do). The notes at the end of each section give extra tips. Be sure to review them before attempting any of the procedures, because some notes will be essential to successful experiments. In addition, they are among the most interesting parts of the book.

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