Customer Reviews

The Immortal Cell: One Scientist's Quest to Solve the Mystery of Human Aging

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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This exciting new book by Dr. Michael West tells the story of stem cell research, nuclear transfer, telomeres, the resetting of the biological clock in somatic cells and much more! As a biologist I found his first hand account interesting and informative! Biotechnology is on the cusp of a bold new age in medicine that could alleviate so much human suffering. Where will these new discoveries lead us and how will we choose to use them? These are just a few of the questions Dr. West takes on in this book. This book should be required reading for everyone especially those who oppose all cloning. This is one of the most exciting books published this year. I could not put this book down and devoured it in three days. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about science and especially genetics.

Such a fascinating look into the competitive world of scientific discovery and the breakthroughs that are being uncovered every minute behind closed doors. I love when he gets really technical into the science of the telomere and how this research can both help explain the immortal nature of cancer cells as well as the mortal nature of somatic cells. Shows how truly groundbreaking stem cell research can be (reverting mortal cells into immortal embryonic ones)! GREAT READ and highly recommended!

After reading so many positive reviews, I ordered the book, and expected to learn in-depth insight into the immortality of cells.
I was disappointed. This book is more of the author's personal story of pursuing the goal of reversing aging rather than detailed look into the biological nature of aging. There are tidbits of gems here and there, but the density is low. If you are looking for a serious discussion of the subject matter, this book is not for you.

Excellent reicital of one scientist's search for the means to prolong human life. I found it to be a very good introduction to concepts such as stem cells and telomerase - areas I had only vague knowledge. But the best part of the book is its description of Dr. West's passion for ending human death and mortality. Dr. West echoes many thoughts I have had myself - man does not want to die! Despite the narrow minded opposition of obsolete religious teachings, science will find the way to overcome and we will reach one of mankind most long soughts yearnings. Perhaps we will lose part of our humanity in doing so, but in my opinion it will be a transformational change that takes us to the next level of life. This book describes one possible approach on this journey.

In The Immortal Cell, Michael D. West tells about his lifelong search for solutions to aging and age-related illnesses.

West's quest starts with an ideal of compassion: if we can help it, why should we keep suffering from Alzheimer, Parkinson, macular degeneration, atherosclerosis, and so many illnesses associated with aging?

West first thought religion and the bible would provide him with answers to his questions about life and death. One is surprised that a bright young man with a scientific mind would have fallen for creationism for as long a period of time as ten years, but West finally recognized that creationism does not resist serious analysis and that at the end of the 20th century, it is just nonsense. Because of this however West has kept a certain understanding for the point of view of the more conservative religious parties.

West then tells of the scientific quest, amidst fierce competition between scientists and even corporations, to understand the mechanics of cellular aging: the discovery of the importance of telomeres, those chromosome ends that turn out to be associated with the cellular clock; the discovery of telomerase, the enzyme able to repair telomeres; the discovery of the tight relationship of such research with cancer research; the first experiments to rewind the cellular clock by implanting somatic cells DNA into egg cells; the cloning of the first mammals; and the experiments to produce embryonic stem sells in vitro, from somatic DNA and egg cells.

The most important result is the proof that cellular aging is not a fatality, as one could have thought initially: it is caused by a mechanism that we are now able to somewhat tweak. From there, there are two main therapeutic perspectives. First, the idea of fixing the aging cells of the body. A lot of research remains to be done in this area. So far, nobody has managed to find a mechanism to reliably deliver a fix to a significant number of cells, and the fix itself has yet to be developed. Second, the idea that any somatic cell can be used to produce embryonic stem cells. This opens the door to building tissues and even entire organs in vitro. Such tissues and organs could be then grafted to the donor without risk of rejection. The perspectives go from implanting skin and bone marrow cells to finding a cure for diabetes and atheroscleriosis. Ultimately, it may allow for entire organ replacement.

West is probably a better scientist than philosopher, but in the last chapter of the book, he makes a good case for therapeutic cloning, including addressing some religious questions regarding "life" with very sound arguments.

The Immortal Cell is a good and easy read. I had fairly high expectations about it because it was very well rated online, and I was a little disappointed by several aspects of the book. West could have communicated even better the excitement this research should generate. He neglects related developments such as the impact nanotechnology research could have.

He also fails to address exciting but disruptive perspectives. If in fact cellular therapy becomes one day mainstream, there is a clear possibility that humans could see their life expectancy increase dramatically, from about 80 years today in developed countries to... 100? 120? 150? 200? 1000? The social impact of such a change would be enormous. It is quite possible that West does not wish to speculate about such subjects so as not to disrupt current research. After all, his own work has put him in the middle of the controversy about research on human embryonic stem cells and human cloning.

Usually science books are hard to read, but this book isn't at all. This is a gHarry Potterh in science field: an ups-and-downs autobiography of a scientist who wants to cure diseases using the technology of the immortal cells. He met many difficulties, but with his ideas and strenuous efforts and also with the aids of his friends he has overcome them one by one. As we read the book, we have virtual experiences of what he has done, and without any efforts become acquainted with the cell biology and the therapeutic use of the rejuvenated cells. This technology will be able to cure many diseases in near future, ONLY IF the research is not banned but supported. I would recommend this book to anyone who is concerned with diseases such as diabetes, leukemia, and so on.

This amazing book reads like a Michael Crichton novel; full of suspense, moral predicaments, and uncertainies, with the added bonus of it being a true story. The author truly captures the intensity of being on the cutting edge of controversial science; give this to your kid and they will give up on 'cops and robbers' and want to be a scientist when they grow up. Read it yourself, and you will gain new insight into the controversy. Highly recommended.

This book is an excellent foray into the world of longevity research and cellular study. I, as a layman, never lost the focus of the author's intent. I hope we do not have to wait to long for his next book.

Michael West is a controversial scientist with a single quest: to conquer the process and reverse the damage caused by human aging. This book explains his journey, which has generated such a furore a recent newspaper headline compared him to Bin Laden.

Biotechnology has always polarised the public. But tinkering with human DNA and unborn embryos is certain to create as many critics as those who endorse its therapeutic potential. This book offers an excellent review of the genesis and potential of cloning as a means of regenerating damaged tissue, and the ethical issues that stand in its way. It's well pitched, summaries the major developments in gerontology (aging research) and explains the fascinating relationship between aging, cancer and disease. I found it progressively more intriguing with each chapter.

I wasn't sure if I would get "into" this book or not, but I found it hard to put down at the end of the lunch break or at night. Very interesting and the good doc describes even the most complex science in terms that are easy to understand-without making the reader feel like a dummy! I wish President Bush and other lawmakers would take the time to read this book to get the facts behind the science before making any more legislation regarding stem cell research.