Overview

Green fluorescent proteins have been floating in the ocean for more than 160 million years, but it took a curious scientist, fascinated by pinpricks of green light, to begin unlocking their potential. Now these jellyfish proteins have become one of the most important tools available to researchers in modern medicine and biology. By using them to illuminate other proteins that were previously invisible even under a microscope, scientists are now able to observe facets of disease that would have otherwise gone undetected. Green fluorescent proteins are used in over three million experiments a year and have proved invaluable for tasks such as tracking HIV, breeding bird flu-resistant chickens, and confirming the existence of cancerous stem cells.In Illuminating Disease, Marc Zimmer introduces us to these revolutionary proteins, acquainting readers both with the researchers responsible for the proteins' discovery as well as their wide utility. The book details the history of genetically modified fluorescent parasites and viruses, which provide scientists with lifesaving information about the spread of diseases. Green fluorescent proteins allow scientists and doctors to understand diseases better by quite literally illuminating various microscopic interactions occurring in living cells that otherwise would have gone unseen.The book is richly illustrated, showing the visually striking uses of green fluorescent proteins, and many of these scans have won awards in biological imaging competitions. An ideal introduction for students and advanced researchers alike, Illuminating Disease is an accessible yet deeply probing investigation into one of the most important developments in medical research of the last several decades.

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9780199362813

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Reviews

When the Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for the discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in 2008, the Nobel Committee called GFP a guiding star for biochemistry enabling processes that were previously invisible, such as cancer cells spreading, to be strikingly visible. Marc Zimmer, has written a glowing account of how GFP and its red, blue, yellow and orange cousins have revolutionized bio-medical research and enabled every major disease, both cause and effect, to light-up in the laboratory for researchers to visualize, understand and eventually conquer them. This exciting and landmark book on the wonderful story of GFP is written with great clarity, warmth and for everyone. --Dr. Robert M. Hoffman, President, Anticancer, Inc. I am tempted to say that this book is to GFP what the double helix is to DNA. Zimmer's pleasant and captivating account features a whole range of scientific problems, framed with personal stories and anecdotes. Zimmer manages to tell stories across many fields of disease (cancer, heart, brain, infections) that are not usually put together into one volume and thus provides a rare unifying read across biology. The nicely illustrated book clearly is a must-read for all students of biology. --Friedrich Frischnecht, Department of Parasitology, University of Heidelberg Medical School For many years, GFP attracted keen attention of scientists because of its unique biochemistry and practical usefulness, and simply due to its aesthetic beauty. Dr. Zimmer describes a lot of facts of medicine and basic biology, but at the same time does not forget to explain all basics to non-scientist readers, often suggesting surprising and illustrative parallels with everyday life. The book is full of stories of people who made key discoveries and technical breakthroughs in the field, and it shows an exciting flow of appearance and implementation of scientific ideas. --Sergey Lukyanov, Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry

When the Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for the discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in 2008, the Nobel Committee called GFP a guiding star for biochemistry enabling processes that were previously invisible, such as cancer cells spreading, to be strikingly visible. Marc Zimmer, has written a glowing accountof how GFP and its red, blue, yellow and orange cousins have revolutionized bio-medical research and enabled every major disease, both cause and effect, to light-up in the laboratory for researchers to visualize, understand and eventually conquer them. This exciting and landmark book on the wonderful story of GFP is written with great clarity, warmth and for everyone. Dr. Robert M. Hoffman, President, Anticancer, Inc. I am tempted to say that this book is to GFP what the double helix is to DNA. Zimmer's pleasant and captivating account features a whole range of scientific problems, framed with personal stories and anecdotes. Zimmer manages to tell stories across many fields of disease (cancer, heart, brain, infections) that are not usually put together into one volume and thus provides a rare unifying read across biology. The nicely illustrated book clearly is a must-read for all students of biology. Friedrich Frischnecht, Department of Parasitology, University of Heidelberg Medical School For many years, GFP attracted keen attention of scientists because of its unique biochemistry and practical usefulness, and simply due to its aesthetic beauty. Dr. Zimmer describes a lot of facts of medicine and basic biology, but at the same time does not forget to explain all basics to non-scientist readers, often suggesting surprising and illustrative parallels with everyday life. The book is full of stories of people who made key discoveries and technical breakthroughs in the field, and it shows an exciting flow of appearance and implementation of scientific ideas. Sergey Lukyanov, Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Illuminating Disease' achieves a difficult synthesis between discussing various diseases that are rarely mentioned within a single book and the molecular biology of fluorescent proteins without losing accessibility for a generalist reader. It is this mix that makes 'Illuminating Disease' stand out. Zimmer's account will provide students with an access point to the history and application of fluorescent proteins. There really is something for everyone here: from the interested lay-scientist through to the undergraduate student to those researchers that take GFP for granted in their daily research. And it is with this appreciation that the current book will serve the scientific community well. Bioessays

Author Information

Marc Zimmer is Professor of Chemistry at Connecticut College. He has published articles on science and medicine for the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Huffington Post, among many other publications.

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