The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise for Medicine [Paperback]

Ann B. Parson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2006

Stem cells could be the key that unlocks cures to scores of diseases and illnesses. Their story is at once compelling, controversial, and remarkable. Part detective story, part medical history, "The Proteus Effect" recounts the events leading up to the discovery of stem cells and their incredible potential for the future of medicine. What exactly are these biological wonders - these things called stem cells? They may be tiny, but their impact is earth shaking, generating excitement among medical researchers - and outright turmoil in political circles. They are reported to be nothing short of miraculous. But they have also incited fear and mistrust in many. Indeed, recent research on stem cells raises important questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries. The power of stem cells rests in their unspecialised but marvellously flexible nature. They are the clay of life waiting for the cellular signal that will coax them into taking on the shape of the beating cells of the heart muscle or the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. With a wave of our medical magic wand, it's possible that stem cells could be used to effectively treat (even cure) diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and even baldness. But should scientists be allowed to pick apart four-day-old embryos in order to retrieve stem cells? And when stem cells whisper to us of immortality - they can divide and perpetuate new cells indefinitely - how do we respond? Stem cells are forcing us to not only re-examine how we define the beginning of life but how we come to terms with the end of life as well. Meticulously researched, artfully balanced, and engagingly told, Ann Parson chronicles a scientific discovery in progress, exploring the ethical debates, describing the current research, and hinting of a spectacular new era in medicine. "The Proteus Effect" is as timely as it is riveting.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Arguably the most exciting, promising and controversial medical research being performed today explores the potential of stem cells, unique cells that, when dividing, can produce either more cells like themselves or other specialized cells, such as heart cells, skin cells and neurons. Since President Bush's highly publicized excursion into bioethics in the summer of 2001, when he limited government funding of stem-cell research, stem cells have been thrust into the public consciousness, bringing the promise of regenerative medicine and miracle cures for such conditions as multiple sclerosis, blindness, heart damage and male pattern baldness. Though most of what's written on the science and ethics of stem-cell research focuses on the cutting edge, in this study, science journalist Parson takes us through its history, ranging from 18th-century natural philosophers' discovery of seemingly immortal organisms to the exploration, two centuries later, of curious mouse tumors, called teratomas, that may unlock the secrets of the human embryo. If anything, the book is too thorough, and the never-ending succession of new scientists and new breakthroughs means that few, if any, stick in the reader's mind as particularly memorable. The real focus is the scientific process itself, with its incremental and distributed march forward. While not for the casual reader, this book will satisfy those looking to immerse themselves in the finer points of stem-cell history.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"The first convincing evidence that failing hearts can be repaired using bone marrow stem cells has been produced by a clinical trial, it was revealed yesterday. U.S. scientists compared two groups of heart bypass patients, with patients in one group treated with stem cells taken from their own hip bones. Six months later the hearts of the stem cell group were pumping out more blood than those of patients who had bypass surgery alone."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Joseph Henry Press (April 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0309097371
• ISBN-13: 978-0309097376
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Stem-Cell Miracle, October 11, 2004

By 

Jessica S. Bethoney - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise for Medicine (Hardcover)

For those who really want to know what is happening on one of the most important forefronts of medical science, Anne Parson's new book on stem cell research, "The Proteus Effect", is a must-read. And for those who are wondering about all the implications and controversy surrounding this contentious topic, Parson gives all the up-to-date information to help the reader to fully understand all sides of the debate.

Parson first gives the reader a historical perspective on the scientists who braved this new world, with discoveries that went back as early as 1740. She brings us up to the present, by personally interviewing many of the key stem-cell research players, some of whom are finding ways to bypass governmental restrictions in order to explore the curative powers of these "immortal" cells. The litany of potential uses for stem-cells ranges from spinal cord injuries and Parkinson's disease to cancer, diabetes, depression, deafness, heart disease and even breast reconstruction. And stem cells may even hold a valuable key to combating the ravages of aging process. After reading Parson's book, one may wonder why anyone would choose to halt the progress of this potentially miraculous alleviation of human suffering.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique treatment of an important subject, December 3, 2004

By 

L. R. Kenney (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise for Medicine (Hardcover)

I have been active in biomedical research advocacy for many years, and in stem cell advocacy for the past four years , and Ann Parson's book is, without a doubt, the best treatment of this subject I have seen yet. Whether you have a science background, are a patient or patient's family member, or just wondered what Ron Reagan was doing at the Democratic convention, you have probably struggled to understand the complexity of stem cell technology. This is a task that has been complicated by all the media "noise" surrounding the field -- the ethical debates, the economic stakes, and the adversarial political climate.

Ann Parson doesn't ignore these issues, but she cuts through and moves beyond them by doing something no one else has thought of doing: she deconstructs the science of stem cells. She takes us back to 1740, to the very earliest biological inquiry into animal regeneration properties, and then brings us forward in time to the present, stacking up the building blocks of acquired knowledge, experiment by experiment, scientist by scientist, until we find ourselves immersed in the goals and implications of stem cell science. Parson gives us lots of scientific information, but suffuses it with human interest and context, making it eminently readable by people of all backgrounds. If you feel like you have a citizen's obligation to figure out what the debate is all about - from the historical, medical, ethical and political perspectives - this is the book to start with.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers the Science and the Moral/Ethical Issues, November 16, 2004

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise for Medicine (Hardcover)

Nothing if not newsworthy, stem cells seem to hold a tremendous hint of cures for a number of very bad diseases. At the same time there are issues being raised about the moral/ethical issues involved in doing any research at all on the cells.

This book is really two or perhaps three books in one. Ms. Parson spends most of the time giving an excellent report on stem cells. Their history, the current research and the potential. The second point discusses the legal aspects of culling the cells and reproducing them. Finally she talks about the moral/ethical issues. I'm sure that her treatment of these issues will be enough to offend a lot of people, but it seems fair and straigforward to me.

Adding interest to the book is the recent vote in California to spend a huge amount on stem cell research to establish California as a home for the huge business opportunities that people believe will result.

One thing is certain, regardless of the legal/moral/ethical issues, stem cell research is going to continue. It may not be done in the US, but it will certainly be done in China, Japan, Finland, Sweden, UK, Korea, Greece, Singapore and other countries.