The Student Room Group

Recommended books (biomedical science, cell and molecular biology, bioscience...)

Hello everybody :smile:

During summer I would like to read some books before starting university.

Maybe someone could recommend good books for bioscience, cell and molecular biology, biomedical science, genetics and biological science. It could be also books that you needed to get for one of these degrees.

Thank you!
Essential cell biology (think this is the latest edition)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0815344554/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=081534130X&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1VPD4MYTY26WC5KWFCFY

That covers most of your cell and molecular biology. Has a good chunk of genetics in there too. Its an all rounder really.

The best clinical anatomy textbook is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Clinical-Anatomy-Keith-Moore/dp/1469832011/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426728867&sr=1-2&keywords=clinical+anatomy

or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Principles-Anatomy-Physiology-International-Student/dp/0470929189/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426728892&sr=1-1&keywords=tortora

If biochemistry is more your thing, then http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lehninger-Principles-Biochemistry-David-Nelson/dp/1464109621/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426728932&sr=1-14&keywords=biochemistry is the comprehensive bible you want.

If your into microbiology, this is a good one for an overall view of medical microbiology, virology, parasitology and some mycology too. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Medical-Microbiology-STUDENTCONSULT-online-access/dp/0702040894/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426728969&sr=1-4&keywords=medical+microbiology

That introduces you to immunity and bacterial growth / interactions with the host too. Its got a good clinical context to it as well. Clearly breaks down the diff bacteria, their pathogenesis, how they cause disease, diseases they cause etc etc how they treated.

If you want a more research based micro textbook, this is the guy http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microbiology-Introduction-Gerard-J-Tortora/dp/1292026308/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426729050&sr=1-6&keywords=microbiology


All of these are hefty textbooks. The essential cell bio one is a great one as you WILL cover literally most of the stuff in there, and its digestible too. It covers cell bio, molecular bio, genetics, literally if it happens in a cell its covered.

I'd avoid an actual genetics textbook - they are HEAVY READS. Im a second year and have done an entire module on genetics and genomics and its still a heavy read. You need to a good understanding of cell bio and molecular bio to fully understand it. But, if you want to have a look about, lewins genes is the best one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lewins-Genes-XI-Jocelyn-Krebs/dp/128402721X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426729233&sr=1-1&keywords=lewins+genes

If you need anymore help or advice, drop me a message. I've got all of these books so can vouch for the fact they are good. I've got a virology textbook too. So if you're interested in that specifically drop me a message, but virology is covered in the medical micro one, and the intro to micro more briefly.
Reply 2
King Boo seems to have provided a very complete and thorough guide - definitely listen to those suggestions, however I would avoid getting any expensive books at this stage as each lecturer will have a favourite and you will find out that they tend to tailor their teachings to a specific one. Try and ask current/former students at the university you are planning on going to as they will have a great knowledge of what will be good.

To add to King Boo's list as the Genetics (which yes, it can be a tough read though molecular genetics is easily the most interesting subject) is a bit light I would recommend iGenetics by Russell. http://www.amazon.co.uk/IGenetics-Molecular-Approach-Peter-Russell/dp/0321610229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426867504&sr=8-1&keywords=igenetics

General textbook rule: don't get the latest edition or a hardback edition, they're £120 each, or for an old edition (with minor differences not noticeable as the basic science was done decades ago) they're 75p not including postage. (see http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0805345531/ref=sr_1_2_twi_1_har_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1426867504&sr=8-2&keywords=igenetics for the difference).

With regards to the actual premise of pre-university reading, biology is such a vast topic that you can't really do anything on the nitty-gritty of the subject matter so I would personally recommend learning a bit about science and the scientific method/analysis instead. Try reading Ben Goldacre's book "Bad Science" ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-Goldacre/dp/000728487X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426867759&sr=8-1&keywords=bad+science ). This sure helped me get a better opinion of scientific understanding before my undergraduate degree. Also, you should find it more enjoyable than reading molecular cell biology that you may never use throughout your degree.
Reply 3
Thank you so much for the help!

I would definitely would like to get the book ''Essential cell biology'' :smile: I think it wouldn't be too heavy for me and it would be the most useful :biggrin: Yeah, prices are pretty high for the books, so I think I will just wait till the university starts, but for now I think I know what I am going to order :smile: I would also look into suggested books about genetics, but I think I should better wait with it. ''Bad science'' book definitely goes to my wish list! Thank you a lot!
Reply 4
Original post by erika171
Thank you so much for the help!

I would definitely would like to get the book ''Essential cell biology'' :smile: I think it wouldn't be too heavy for me and it would be the most useful :biggrin: Yeah, prices are pretty high for the books, so I think I will just wait till the university starts, but for now I think I know what I am going to order :smile: I would also look into suggested books about genetics, but I think I should better wait with it. ''Bad science'' book definitely goes to my wish list! Thank you a lot!



If you're still interested in doing some reasonably in depth reading, I bought "The World of the Cell" for under a pound including postage a few years back (Amazon I think). Go for an old edition of something to do with cells as a whole so you can do some general molecular cell biology that you will certainly have to do. It's virtually an extension of A Level and could prepare you well for the opening modules.
As a heads up - if you are interested in a really particular part of science (or in general) look at the series

"A very short introduction ...."

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Viruses-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199574855

Theres a TONNE of different topics covered. As much as it looks small, its digestible and in depth. They're great! Give you a good overview to the topic in a good depth too!
Does anyone know what books would be particularly useful for Biomedical Science specifically? I emailed the admissions tutor on my course to ask what books would be useful to read to supplement my learning or to ease my transition from A-Level to Undergraduate, and she got back to me with "Read an A-Level Chemistry or Biology text book", i.e. that reply was so unhelpful it gave me a brain haemorrhage. I'd love a reading list for the summer.
Reply 7
Original post by Sargeant_Nemo
Does anyone know what books would be particularly useful for Biomedical Science specifically? I emailed the admissions tutor on my course to ask what books would be useful to read to supplement my learning or to ease my transition from A-Level to Undergraduate, and she got back to me with "Read an A-Level Chemistry or Biology text book", i.e. that reply was so unhelpful it gave me a brain haemorrhage. I'd love a reading list for the summer.

I also ended up with Biomedical Science and I think you should see at what exactly are you going to study. For me it says that we will cover cell and molecular biology, immunology, genetics, biochemistry and etc. So I am looking for something general for these aspects :smile: But I will follow the advice people gave before for genetics and cell and molecular biology, other books I think also relate a lot to Biomedical Science :wink:
Reply 8
What about the mathematical aspect of the course? Maths isn’t my strongest subject so could anyone offer advice on a good book to use to build up my knowledge for laboratory equations etc. Thanks

Quick Reply

Latest