Modeling Cells Adds Up

prenatal diagnosis. The CF people are much more posi-March 2003 is oversubscribed in registration. In the emerging post-genomic era, the recognition that com-tive about this than the SCD people. One understands putational methodologies will play a critical role in sys-this when one learns that the income of the (white) CF tems biology is widespread. Cell biologists have realized people is about five times higher than the income of the the impracticality of trying to successfully predict cell (black) SCD people. The grandchildren of the slaves are behavior arising from complex molecular mechanisms still badly paid and they remember racism. These two using only pure intuition. Accordingly, the cell biology chapters are most revealing and should be widely read. community is now seeking a suitable avenue for en-Joseph Alper and Jon Beckwith discuss then the present abling them to add computational tools to their cell biol-state of differences in race and ethnicity. Today no rele-ogy research kits. One route may be undertaking formal vant differences are found, but what is going to happen academic courses, which remain sparse, while another tomorrow? Are the scientists prepared? is finding helpful texts whether in formal curricula or not. There is a chapter by Adrienne Asch who argues The late Joel Keizer of the University of California at against prenatal testing and abortion and a chapter by Davis began preparing such a text, but sadly its comple-Susan Markens on the woman's role in these matters. tion was interrupted by his untimely death in 1999. Fortu-Both chapters are marginal to this collection. There is nately, a cadre of Joel's friends in the computational no discussion of PID. biology field have finished the task, with the product There are also two chapters on the hypothetical gay being this excellent volume of 13 Chapters (plus 3 tuto-gene. The gay community of the US seems to have rial Appendices) by a total of 17 authors, all of whom are welcomed this hypothetical gene. This seems bizarre. recognized authorities in their respective areas. Each One would like to know the reaction of gays in other chapter is essentially self-contained, although care has countries. The last two chapters are by Adrien Ard and been taken to ensure a relatively even and admirable Deborah Zucker on the commercialization of genetic degree of depth, detail, and style. Most chapters are technologies and about current developments in genetic devoted to explicating construction and analysis …