Review by Choice Review
This two-volume encyclopedia is a great resource for nonscientists. The text is well written and approachable. This set brings together more than 320 articles that discuss basic stem cell biology; the work of individual scientists, states, advocacy groups, international organizations, institutions, and other countries; and the history, and ethical, legal, political, and religious issues surrounding this subject. Readers locate information via a reader's guide based on theme and a list of articles. Such tools are crucial since the encyclopedia's headings are not intuitive. Also offered is a select annotated chronology. Unfortunately, over 180 pages of this encyclopedia are reproductions of government documents available freely online (URLs would have been adequate). The glossary is inadequate, and the resource guide is short and basic. This field is rapidly changing as new discoveries are made. Although this is not the final work on the subject, the material included in these volumes provides an excellent starting point for understanding this timely and controversial research; this set is suitable for both academic and public libraries. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. J. M. Scaramozzino California Polytechnic State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
The emerging study of stem cell research and therapy holds much promise. Authored by scholars and experts in the field, the Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research contains more than 320 authoritative articles written at a level accessible to the layperson and undergraduate student. Each article, ranging from 900 to 3,500 words, is signed by the contributor. Key themes addressed include stem cell biology, clinical trials, research and policies in various countries of the world and states of the U.S., biographies of stem cell researchers, potential therapeutic uses of stem cells to treat diseases, ethics, religion, history and technology, research institutions, and politics. Information is provided on different types of stem cells including their age, tissue, species, biology, and history. Sample entries include Advocacy, Batten disease, Christopher Reeve Foundation, Cloning, Diabetes, Mayo Clinic, Microenvironment and immune issues, Moral status of embryo, Stem cell genome anatomy projects, and Viral vectors. A few black-and-white illustrations and photographs supplement the text. Cross-references link related articles. Bibliographies listing books, journal articles, and Internet sites are included for most articles. In addition, a resource guide contains references to books, Internet sites, journals, and reports. A 5-page glossary elucidates stem cell research terms for the nonspecialist. Following the entries are a list of scientists working on stem cell research and appendixes containing the document Stem Cell Research Funding and Oversight (2007); the 2001 Congressional Hearings on Stem Cells and Cloning ; and Reports to the President's Council on Bioethics. A 46-page index affords subject access to the contents. A Reader's Guide groups entries under broad headings. Stem cell research is of interest to a broad audience. There is no other comparable reference work. Notable for its accessibility, the Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research is recommended for academic and large public libraries. Also available as an e-book.--Cannon, Nancy Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
The simple vocabulary of this accessible encyclopedia allows researchers, university students, and lay persons alike to grasp quickly the basics of stem-cell biology. Svendsen and Ebert are experts in the field and are actively involved in the University of Madison (WI) Stem Cell Research Program. The two volumes they have prepared contain over 300 entries by international academics that provide insight into research in 21 countries. Readers can access the information through a guide that categorizes the material into key themes, as well as a table of contents and an extensive index. This exceptional reference tool also comes equipped with a glossary, a chronology, a resource guide (with key journals, books, and academic reports), a list of contributing scientists, and appendixes. The editors have carefully interweaved the current research from a variety of disciplines so that the entries touch on underlying controversies and ethical challenges associated with the use of stem cells for tissue transplantation. BOTTOM LINE This work is unlike other recently published reference books, including Elsevier's Essentials of Stem Cell Biology (2005), an abridged version of the Handbook of Stem Cells that focuses more on the processes of microbiology than on the broader issues of stem-cell use. Unfortunately, the illustrations in this set are all in black and white; a little color, although slightly more expensive to produce, would have enriched the browsing experience. That's just a minor deficiency, however, in what is overall an exceptional starting point for stem-cell research and a crucial supplement to public libraries and upper-level educational institutions. [Available electronically through Sage eReference as well as Gale Virtual Reference Library.]-Hazel Cameron, Overlake Hosp. Lib., Bellevue, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
