This edition, in keeping with the expansion of the biological disciplines, has grown to accommodate new material and new areas of research. Four new books have been added that focus on areas of biological research that are reaping the benefits of genome science and modern research technologies. Thus, the New Biology set now consists of the following 10 volumes:
1. Aging, Revised Edition
2. Animal Cloning, Revised Edition
3. Cancer, Revised Edition
4. The Cell, Revised Edition
5. Gene Therapy, Revised Edition
6. Stem Cell Research, Revised Edition
7. Genome Research
8. The Immune System
9. Modern Medicine
10. Viruses
Many new chapters have been added to each of the original six volumes, and the remaining chapters have been extensively revised and updated. The number of figures and photos in each book has increased significantly, and all are now rendered in full color. The new volumes, following the same format as the originals, greatly expand the scope of the New Biology set and serve to emphasize the fact that these technologies are not just about finding cures for diseases but are helping scientists understand a wide range of biological processes. Even a partial list of these revelations is impressive: detailed information on every gene and every protein that is needed to build a human being; eventual identification of all cancer genes, stem cell–specific genes, and longevity genes; mapping of safe chromosomal insertion sites for gene therapy; and the identification of genes that control the growth of the human brain, the development of speech, and the maintenance of mental stability. In a stunning achievement, genome researchers have been able to trace the exact route our human ancestors used to emigrate from Africa nearly 65,000 years ago and even to estimate the number of individuals who made up the original group.