Risk assessment in genetic engineering /

Levin discusses in depth the environmental release of genetically engineered organisms and the risks associated with that release. The book is broadly divided into three sections; each chapter has different authors from a variety of backgrounds. Nine chapters deal with a variety of organisms and their potential risks; the first summarizes past experiences with new organisms in established ecosystems, while the rest deal with particular issues, such as the side effects of microbial pest control agents, genetically engineered plants and viruses, and the spread of added genes in a population. These chapters are independent of one another, which results in a certain amount of redundancy. The next section describes how risks are assessed: six chapters describe numerous techniques, as well as a case study of a 1987 release; the final section deals with society and risk assessment. Although not providing answers, this book does identify the risks and the methods to assess them. The book is poorly illustrated, but well referenced. Not easy reading, but may be useful to professionals and graduate students in risk assessment or biotechnology. Level: advanced undergraduates and up.-R. Seelke, University of Wisconsin-Superior