When writing Biology of Disease it was decided to include appropriate
background material, describing it in relatively simple terms. However, in
practice itwasnot possible tocover all these aspects;hencesomepreknowledge
of biochemistry and cell and molecular biology has been assumed. Although
Biology of Disease is not primarily a medical textbook, we do think it could
also be of value to students participating in foundation courses for medical
schools. The areas and topics covered by the termbiomedical sciences are vast
and we have had to curtail the number of topics included – modern medicine
and its ancillary subjects represent a huge body of knowledge.