This is a selective guide to the current state of key areas of biology. Topics covered include recombination of DNA and its applications, the eukaryotic cell, progress in cancer research and immunology.

An established and successful textbook which provides a thorough and comprehensive basis for GCSE syllabuses. The social, environmental, and technological aspects of biology are discussed throughout the book and students are encouraged to explore topics in depth through investigational and experimental work. Simply worded text with clear explanations of important technical terms. Superb structural drawings and easy-to-copy diagrams which show students how to reduce complex information to a simple form. Questions at the end of each chapter designed to reinforce understanding.

Annelids offer a diversity of experimentally accessible features making them a rich experimental subject across the biological sciences, including evolutionary development, neurosciences and stem cell research. This volume introduces the Annelids and their utility in evolutionary developmental biology, neurobiology, and environmental/ecological studies, including extreme environments. The book demonstrates the variety of fields in which Annelids are already proving to be a useful experimental system. Describing the utility of Annelids as a research model, this book is an invaluable resource for all researchers in the field.

Epigenetics can potentially revolutionize our understanding of the structure and behavior of biological life on Earth. It explains why mapping an organism's genetic code is not enough to determine how it develops or acts and shows how nurture combines with nature to engineer biological diversity. Surveying the twenty-year history of the field while also highlighting its latest findings and innovations, this volume provides a readily understandable introduction to the foundations of epigenetics. Nessa Carey, a leading epigenetics researcher, connects the field's arguments to such diverse phenomena as how ants and queen bees control their colonies; why tortoiseshell cats are always female; why some plants need cold weather before they can flower; and how our bodies age and develop disease. Reaching beyond biology, epigenetics now informs work on drug addiction, the long-term effects of famine, and the physical and psychological consequences of childhood trauma. Carey concludes with a discussion of the future directions for this research and its ability to improve human health and well-being.