From Molecules to the Biochemistry of Cells

This book (with further volumes planned) takes a convincing new approach: evolution serves as the unifying narrative, introducing and linking central themes in molecular biology and biochemistry, starting with the origin and early development of life.

This concept stems from a reform of the biology curriculum at ETH Zurich initiated by Julia Vorholt several years ago. Many fundamental principles are illustrated using bacteria and archaea, which dominated life on our planet for much of Earth’s history. The physical and chemical foundations of biological complexity are consistently incorporated without overwhelming the reader.

Across eight chapters and just under 300 pages, the book provides a well-grounded, highly accessible, and engaging introduction to the molecules and biochemical processes on which life depends. The book deliberately does not attempt to match the depth of specialized textbooks in biochemistry, microbiology, or cell biology. Yet this is precisely one of its great strengths: the level of detail is very sensibly chosen for this format—sufficient to understand the mechanisms, but never so extensive that broader connections and overarching concepts are lost.

High-quality illustrations and thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter complement the text. I can therefore particularly recommend this book to students in the early semesters of their university studies, but also to anyone wishing to refresh their understanding of biological fundamentals from an evolutionary perspective. The fact that the book is freely available as an open-access publication makes it all the more attractive for study and teaching.

Jethro Hemmann, Leibniz-HKI, in BIOspektrum