A Short Guide to the Human Genome by Stewart Scherer

Synopsis

Although the human genome has been sequenced, it can be difficult to find answers to seemingly simple questions about its characteristics. How many genes are there? Which genes are commonly associated with genetic diseases? How many DNA-binding proteins, mobile elements, or kinases are present? What are the major differences between human proteins and those of other species? This convenient handbook, written in question-and-answer format, allows researchers and teachers alike access to basic facts about the human genome.

Biography

Stewart Scherer received a BS in Biology from Caltech in 1977 and a PhD in Biochemistry from Stanford in 1982, and then returned to Caltech for postdoctoral work. From 1986 through 1996 he was in the Microbiology Department of the University of Minnesota. While at Minnesota, he spent time working at the LBL Human Genome Center. Since leaving Minnesota, he has focused on bioinformatics, both in industry and in the analysis of the Candida albicans genome. After lecturing on genomics at Caltech in 2004, his efforts have centered on writing about the human genome.