Life and death -- Review of basic cell anatomy and physiology -- Introduction to physical biochemistry and biochemical systems modeling -- The basis of genetic inheritance -- Nucleic acids and their functions -- A review of proteins -- The genetic basis for certain inheritable diseases : genomic medicine -- Some instrumental methods used in genomics, proteomics, and forensic science -- Applications of genomics -- Ethical issues in ge=netic engineering.

An introductory text, this book has been written for engineers and scientists who have not studied molecular biology, genomics, and proteomics, and who are working with, or planning to work with, living systems. The author assumes readers are familiar with basic calculus, physics, and linear algebra. He describes the very complex biochemical relations that permit life to exist, highlighting the specialized organic molecules in living organism, and how they interact and react. This is a primer, not intended as an academic short cut or a replacement for formal, in-depth course work, but intended to broaden the background and pique the interest of undergraduate students.