DNA Demystified

“This will be a handy review for graduate students preparing for their qualifying oral exams and the author takes the time to understand the opposing views to DNA in agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical, or other applications of DNA in our lives.” – Elof Axel Carlson, Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, The Quarterly Review of Biology”DNA Demystified is perfect for the amateur science enthusiast who is fascinated by everything that touches on DNA, from forensics to genetic disease markers to family genealogy. Full of detail and fascinating stories, this is ultimately an absorbing read.” – Nina Fedoroff, Penn State University”Alan McHughen has superbly explained everything we know about DNA, the beautiful and ingenious coding device at the heart of life. This is a very useful book for all those who fear they cannot understand the science of DNA: they will soon find that they can and it’s fascinating.” – Matt Ridley, author of Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters”A highly engaging book that explains the basic process of how genes work and the impact that current advances in DNA research has had on medicine, agriculture, and law, in simple and elegant terms. This wonderful book is designed for those who want to understand what DNA is and how it is changing our lives, with much promise and peril along the way. I found reading Alan McHughen’s book a delightful and informative journey into the world of DNA.” – BobGoldberg, UCLA and Member of US National Academy of Sciences

Alan McHughen is a public sector educator, scientist and consumer advocate. After earning his doctorate at Oxford University, Dr. McHughen worked at Yale University and the University of Saskatchewan before joining the University of California, Riverside. A molecular geneticist with an interest in crop improvement and environmental sustainability, he helped develop US and Canadian regulations governing the safety of genetically engineered crops andfoods. Dr. McHughen served as a Science Advisor to the Secretary of State (Jefferson Science Fellow) at US Department of State and was recruited to serve as a Senior Policy Analyst at the US Office of the President(Obama Administration). He is the author of six books, including Pandora’s Picnic Basket (OUP 2000).