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The Handbook for Statistical Genetics is widely regarded as the reference work in the field. However, the field has developed considerably over the past three years. In particular the modeling of genetic networks has advanced considerably via the evolution of microarray analysis. As a consequence the 3rd edition of the handbook contains a much expanded section on Network Modeling, including 5 new chapters covering metabolic networks, graphical modeling and inference and simulation of pedigrees and genealogies. Other chapters new to the 3rd edition include Human Population Genetics, Genome-wide Association Studies, Family-based Association Studies, Pharmacogenetics, Epigenetics, Ethic and Insurance.
As with the second Edition, the Handbook includes a glossary of terms, acronyms and abbreviations, and features extensive cross-referencing between the chapters, tying the different areas together. With heavy use of up-to-date examples, real-life case studies and references to web-based resources, this continues to be must-have reference in a vital area of research.

Edited by the leading international authorities in the field.

David Balding - Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Imperial College
An advisor for our Probability & Statistics series, Professor Balding is also a previous Wiley author, having written Weight-of-Evidence for Forensic DNA Profiles, as well as having edited the two previous editions of HSG. With over 20 years teaching experience, he’s also had dozens of articles published in numerous international journals.

Martin Bishop – Head of the Bioinformatics Division at the HGMP Resource Centre
As well as the first two editions of HSG, Dr Bishop has edited a number of introductory books on the application of informatics to molecular biology and genetics. He is the Associate Editor of the journal Bioinformatics and Managing Editor of Briefings in Bioinformatics.

Chris Cannings – Division of Genomic Medicine, University of Sheffield
With over 40 years teaching in the area, Professor Cannings has published over 100 papers and is on the editorial board of many related journals. Co-editor of the two previous editions of HSG, he also authored a book on this topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good overview of topics on quantitative aspects of genetics
The book is a collection of chapters written by experts in their respective fields. It contains both basic topics of genetics like chromosome maps and protein analysis as well as recent developments in evolutionary genetics like coalescence and phylogenetics. The topics on genetic epidemiology like linkage and association cover the main ideas, but the mathematical subtlities are not adequately explained in some of the cases. Since the target audience of this book are statistical geneticists, it would have been more beneficial if more quantitative insights were given. The chapters by Bruce Weir, Nicholas Schork and Ranajit Chakraborty provide some interesting practical applications of statistical genetics. With lots of controversies going around, it is apt to include the chapter on the ethical issues regarding the use of statistics in genetics. ... Read more

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This is the first volume of its kind on prehistoric cultures of South Asia. The book brings together archaeologists, biological anthropologists, geneticists and linguists in order to provide a comprehensive account of the history and evolution of human populations residing in the subcontinent. New theories and methodologies presented provide new interpretations about the cultural history and evolution of populations in South Asia.

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Arab populations have their “own” genetic disorders, both universal and particular.Genetic diversity within these source populations, along with the fact that the rates of inbreeding are often high and family sizes are often large, constitute conditions that facilitate the emergence and detection of phenotypes explained notably by autosomal recessive inheritance; in which case, the use of homozygosity gene mapping can facilitate the discovery of the corresponding genes.The present book includes 5 parts dealing with various aspects that relate to the genetic structure of Arabs and minorities within the Arab world as well as genetic disorders prevalent in this part of the world. It includes updated reviews of the genetic disorders in various Arab countries and geographic regions. The focus is primarily, but not exclusively, on the group of single-gene disorders with particular emphasis on autosomal recessive conditions. It further includes epidemiological and clinical data as well as inheritance patterns, mutation and polymorphism data, and available haplotype analysis data. The ethnic and genetic diversity of the Arab populations is discussed as well as aspects of genetic counseling practice in this region together with a proposal for an ethical framework for genetic research and prevention of genetic disorders.The target audience of this book includes human and medical geneticists, genetic counselors, researchers, medical specialists dealing with Arab patients or practicing in Arab countries, medical and genetic counseling students, and nurses. ... Read more

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In this second edition of the classic work Foundations of Mathematical Genetics, a definitive account is given of the basic models of population genetics together with the historical origins of its development since 1908. This book satisfies the need for a more careful study of the foundations of mathematical population genetics, treating the simple deterministic models for random-mating diploid populations in depth without sacrificing clarity of expression. In the second edition, coverage has been extended with the provision of a new chapter on the Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection. This book is written for those interested in the mathematical aspects of genetics, ecology, and biology. Students and historians of mathematical genetics will find this work a definitive statement of the origins of modern mathematical population genetics. ... Read more

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Various approaches have been developed to evaluate the consequences of spatial structure on evolution in subdivided populations. This book is both a review and new synthesis of several of these approaches, based on the theory of spatial genetic structure. François Rousset examines Sewall Wright's methods of analysis based on F-statistics, effective size, and diffusion approximation; coalescent arguments; William Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory; and approaches rooted in game theory and adaptive dynamics. Setting these in a framework that reveals their common features, he demonstrates how efficient tools developed within one approach can be applied to the others.

Rousset not only revisits classical models but also presents new analyses of more recent topics, such as effective size in metapopulations. The book, most of which does not require fluency in advanced mathematics, includes a self-contained exposition of less easily accessible results. It is intended for advanced graduate students and researchers in evolutionary ecology and population genetics, and will also interest applied mathematicians working in probability theory as well as statisticians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Heavy literature
I am still working my way through this work, but I can say it is interesting and helped me think about my own genetics project. This is not a beginner's level book. Do not buy, it unless you have a strong foundation in population genetics, mathematics, or population biology. This is a thesis I assume and there are no pictures.

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Discusses factors and vonditions necessary for gentic stability of populations.
This book examines results of field and experimental work in the study of genetic processes in the populations of different species.
The maintenance of genetic diversity is approached from different angles, including the formulation of a strategy for the preservation and management of natural populations, which is derived from the analysis of a genetic variation of isozymes and quantitative morphophysiologic characters. Facts are presented concerning the genetic mechanisms of speciations. ... Read more

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Self-contained and reader-friendly, this volume provides a balanced blend of evolutionary theory, population genetics, and systematics -- with an emphasis on the experimental approach. ... Read more

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Recent advances in understanding the thermodynamics of macromolecules, the topological properties of gene networks, the organization and mutation capabilities of genomes, and the structure of populations make it possible to incorporate these key elements into a broader and deeply interdisciplinary view of molecular evolution. This book gives an account of such a new approach, through clear tutorial contributions by leading scientists.

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From the best-selling author of TheSeven Daughters ofEve, an illuminating guide to the genetic history of the BritishIsles.One of the world's leading geneticists, BryanSykes has helped thousands findtheir ancestry in the BritishIsles. Saxons, Vikings, andCelts, which resulted from a systematic ten-yearDNA survey of more than10,000 volunteers, tracesthetrue genetic makeup of the British Isles andits descendants, taking readers from the Pontnewydd cave inNorth Wales to the restingplace of "The Red Lady" of Paviland and the tomb of King Arthur. Genealogy hasbecome a popular pastime ofAmericans interestedin theirheritage, and this is the perfect work for anyone interested in finding theirheritagein England, Scotland,or Ireland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Saxons, Vikings and Celts
This excellently written and informative book has enabled me to far better understanding the long history of the United Kingdom and the various effects made upon this island by many generations of conquerers, down through the ages.

With my forefathers coming from Cornwall I have long sought to discover the impact made upon this area by European invaders. As a former teacher greatly interested in history I have had very many gaps in my knowledge filled by this clear and consisely written excellent book.

Good book, BAD NARRATOR

I was hoping to -listen- to this book and skipped over the hardback and softcover and opted for the audiobook CD-set...

Boy, was that a bad bet.

As far as I can tell Mr.Sykes book may have been well written and entertaining but the experience of trying to follow it when narrated by Dick Hill is a huge disappointment and downright painful.

Our narrator sounds like an aged 1950's newsman with a continuously halting, irregular style of inflection that puts one in mind of Paul Harvey riding a bicycle down a never-ending flight of stairs.

DONT BUY THE AUDIOBOOK, but do make time to read the book in print.

PS: click the hyperlink on DICK HILL on the Amazon description for a warning of other audiobooks he has "narrated"... CAVEAT EMPTOR !

Can I have my two hours back?
On page 92 the author has not yet begun speaking about the subject of his book.

Cutting my losses and tossing it in the "take to Half Priced Books" pile.

read Spencer Wells instead
The book covers an interesting topic but the first 90 pages or so are all history of science (or historical summaries), not molecular genetics/evolution!The book is pretty basic--it doesn't seem to be written for an educated audience and I found Sykes's condescending tone rather irritating (and I am NOT a geneticist).Sykes doesn't write nearly as well as does Spencer Wells on very similar topics in human ancestry/molecular evolution.His conclusion is that most of the British Isles are inhabited by people with a very similar genetic or "ethnic" background, whether they think of themselves as "celtic" or not.The history of the idea of "celtic" identity was probably the most interesting part of the book for me.If you have any knowledge of human genomics at all, read something else, or check this book out from a library before purchasing it.

Good History
This book attempts to find the historic origins of those living in the British Isles through DNA testing.The author and geneticist describes how his team gathered data and his interpretation of that data.He also highlights some of the historic immigration, e.g. Romans, Vikings, Saxons, etc...and what impact they had on the genetics of the Isles.It is an interesting and entertaining read, answering some but also opening new questions.I recommend it. ... Read more

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This text offers the advanced undergraduate or postgraduate student a balanced account of the theoretical and experimental aspects of population genetics, using both plant and animal examples. This book should be of interest to students of genetics and those in related subjects such as population biology. ... Read more

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Biological anthropologists face an array of ethical issues as they engage in fieldwork around the world. In this volume human biologists, geneticists, paleontologists, and primatologists confront their involvement with, and obligations to, their research subjects, their discipline, society, and the environment. Those working with human populations explore such issues as who speaks for a group, community consultation and group consent, the relationship between expatriate communities and the community of origin, and disclosing the identity of both individuals and communities. Those working with skeletal remains discuss issues that include access to and ownership of fossil material. Primatologists are concerned about the well-being of their subjects in laboratory and captive situations, and must address yet another set of issues regarding endangered animal populations and conservation in field situations. The first comprehensive account of the ethical issues facing! biological anthropologists today, Biological Anthropology and Ethics opens the door for discussions of ethical issues in professional life. ... Read more

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The so-called science wars pit science against culture, and nowhere is the struggle more contentious--or more fraught with paradox--than in the burgeoning realm of genetics. A constructive response, and a welcome intervention, this volume brings together biological and cultural anthropologists to conduct an interdisciplinary dialogue that provokes and instructs even as it bridges the science/culture divide.

Individual essays address issues raised by the science, politics, and history of race, evolution, and identity; genetically modified organisms and genetic diseases; gene work and ethics; and the boundary between humans and animals. The result is an entree to the complicated nexus of questions prompted by the power and importance of genetics and genetic thinking, and the dynamic connections linking culture, biology, nature, and technoscience. The volume offers critical perspectives on science and culture, with contributions that span disciplinary divisions and arguments grounded in both biological perspectives and cultural analysis. An invaluable resource and a provocative introduction to new research and thinking on the uses and study of genetics, Genetic Nature/Culture is a model of fruitful dialogue, presenting the quandaries faced by scholars on both sides of the two-cultures debate. ... Read more

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In this volume, the product of decades of study and research, the world's foremost geneticist surveys the major developments in what is emerging as the most important single area of scientific inquiry in the twentieth century: biological theory of evolution in particular.Noting that the theory of evolution in biology is more than a century old, Dr. Dobzhansky points out that it is nevertheless only in recent times that our knowledge of its physical basis as well as our understanding of its dynamics has progressed greatly. Yet, he notes, new problems have replaced the older ones at the forefront of scientific inquiry, problems which require entirely new approaches. It is to these manifold and exciting new questions that the author brings a lifetime of experience.Throughout, his goal is to create not a summary of all the available literature, nor a professional book written only for the scientific community, but rather a presentation of basic ideas, accompanied by the indispensable references which would enable interested readers to pursue the matter further. The book has been purposely kept short to enable it to be read as a whole, and above all, it has been written in a manner which will hold the attention as well as inform both the general reader and the professionally concerned scientist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A BROAD-RANGING BOOK FROM A FAMOUS EVOLUTIONARY THEORIST
Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975) was a famous geneticist and evolutionary biologist.This 1970 book (like several of Dobzhansky's later works) covers more than simply evolutionary theory.

He begins by noting that "Organic diversity is a response of living matter to the diversity of environments, and of opportunities for different modes of life on our planet.""The gene pool is in constant motion; if a simile is desired, a stormy sea is more appropriate than a beanbag."However, he cautions, "Talking about traits as though they were independent entities is responsible for much confusion in biological, and particular in evolutionary, thought."

He observes, "Suppose that one wishes to transform, by selective breeding, the human race into a race of angels.We can be virtually certain that it would be much easier to breed for angelic disposition than for a pair of wings because there is available in human populations a variance in disposition.... There is much less chance of encountering variants on the basis of which the development of wings may be started, and to expect mutations providing such a basis seems rather farfetched.And yet birds and mammals, or bats and primates, have had a common albeit remote, ancestry.There is no possibility of repeating, however, or reversing and repeating the evolutionary process that gave rise to these winged and wingless creatures."

Dobzhansky notes that of divergent phenotypes in humans, "a great majority ... represent mild or serious genetic defects or diseases."He also admits that "the problems of the maintenance of genetic variability in natural populations, and of the ways in which natural selection acts, are as yet far from solved.These are basic problems of any causal theory of evolution....Moreover, it is probable that the state of the knowledge as outlined above will be surpassed in the near future."

An original contribution in this volume is the notion of evolution proceeding by "random walk": "evolution by random walk must be regarded as an important, or even prevalent, evolutionary mode," and "The problem of evolution by random walk invites further studies."

As with other books of Dobzhansky's (e.g., Heredity, Race and Society), he strongly criticizes then-current theories of racial origins that were used to justify racist theories: "It should be made unequivocally clear that the number of races or subspecies which one chooses to recognize by giving them vernacular or formal Latin names is largely, though not completely, arbitrary."

He concludes by saying that "The evolution of every phyletic line yields a novelty that never existed before and is a unique, unrepeatable, and irreversible proceeding..... An evolutionary history is a unique chain of events," and "I feel that a biologist may reasonably speak of evolutionary progress, provided only that he makes clear what kind of progress is meant."

This is a significant work by a major modern evolutionary thinker.



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Product Description
Charles Fox and Jason Wolf have brought together leading researchers to produce a cutting-edge primer introducing readers to the major concepts in modern evolutionary genetics. This book spans the continuum of scale, from studies of DNA sequence evolution through proteins and development to multivariate phenotypic evolution, and the continuum of time, from ancient events that lead to current species diversity to the rapid evolution seen over relatively short time scales in experimental evolution studies. Chapters are accessible to an audience lacking extensive background in evolutionaryy genetics but also current and in-depth enough to be of value to established researchers in evolution biology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent information.
I'm not well versed in biological knowledge.I never have taken a chemistry course and I only have high school level biology education.I know little of genetics.But, I've learned much from this book.The reading is a bit over my head in some ways, but plain enough in others.I have read into it to learn more about the processes of evolution at work.It is an engaging and exciting read.

I won't bother readers with my rudimentary understanding.I recognize that I'm sort of out of my league here.But, I believe that knowledge is precious and that everything we can do to expand our knowledge is important, and thusly worth my time.When theory is applied to the practical mechanics a booming picture of the evolutionary process is powerfully displayed.

You may have no interest in technical knowledge concerning biological formations, but I urge you to at least consider expanding your knowledge base with real information.Don't buy popular level books which only cover someone else's agenda to promote their own view of the world.Actually take the time to learn about the real information, the real world.You won't understand evolution simply because someone else said so.But, actually looking at what happens in evolution brings you all the more closer to real understanding.

That's the goal, right? ... Read more

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Habitat fragmentation is one of the most ubiquitous and serious environmental threats confronting the long-term survival of plant and animal species worldwide. As species become restricted to remnant habitats, effective management for long-term conservation requires a quantitative understanding of the genetic and demographic effects of habitat fragmentation, and the implications for population viability. This book provides a detailed introduction to the genetic and demographic issues relevant to the conservation of fragmented populations such as demographic stochasticity, genetic erosion, inbreeding, metapopulation biology, and population viability analysis. The volume presents case studies on animals and plants, which illustrate a variety of approaches to examining long-term population viability. Some of the approaches include the application of molecular genetic markers, the investigation of reproductive biology, and the combination of demographic monitoring and modeling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

New knowledge in the biology of fragmentedpopulations
This book is a very important contribution to the understanding of the fragmented populations including forest trees.It will help to know more about the viability and survival of species under deforested and human affected environments. Provides new updated biological information to help in the management of fragmented forests. ... Read more