The past two decades have seen an ever accelerating growth in knowledge about molecular pathology of human diseases, which received a large boost with the sequencing of the human genome in 2003. Mole- lar diagnostics, molecular targeted therapy, and genetic therapy are now routine in many medical centers. The molecular field now impacts every field in medicine, whether clinical research or routine patient care. There is a great need for basic researchers to understand the potential clinical implications of their research whereas private practice clinicians of all types (general internal medicine and internal medicine specialists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, pediatricians, family practitioners), clinical inves- gators, pathologists and medical laboratory directors, and radiologists require a basic understanding of the fundamentals of molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment for their patients. Traditional textbooks in molecular biology deal with basic science and are not readily applicable to the medical setting. Most medical textbooks that include a mention of molecular pathology in the clinical setting are limited in scope and assume that the reader already has a working knowledge of the basic science of molecular biology. Other texts emphasize technology and testing procedures without integrating the clinical perspective. There is an urgent need for a text that fills the gap between basic science books and clinical practice.
