Almost every week, another exciting headline appears about new advances in the field of genetics. Genetic testing is experiencing the kind of exponential growth once seen with the birth of the Internet, while the plummeting cost of DNA sequencing makes it increasingly accessible for individuals and families.  

Dr. Steven M. Lipkin suggests that today's genomics is like the last century's nuclear physics: a powerful tool for good if used correctly, but potentially dangerous in the wrong hands. DNA testing is promising in treating serious disease, but Beijing Genomics is quietly developing gene tests to predict intelligence and athletic prowess in prenatal embryo selection. DNA testing could also lead to unnecessary procedures and significantly higher health care costs. All too often, sequencing errors diagnose patients with debilitating and fatal genetic diseases. 

The Age of Genomes immerses readers in stories of real patients on the frontier of genomics and explores the transformative potential and dangerous risks of genetic technology. It will inform anxious parents increasingly bombarded by offers of costly new pre-natal testing products, and demonstrate how genetic technology, when deployed properly, can prevent or treat genetic disorders such as neurological diseases or cancer. Lipkin explains the science in depth, but in terms even a lay person can follow.

"A thrilling and deeply relevant book." ~ Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD