This book offers an introduction to the newest, fastest-growing field in laboratory science. Explaining and clarifying the molecular techniques used in diagnostic testing, this text provides both entry-level and advanced information. It covers the principles of molecular biology along with genomes and nucleic acid alterations, techniques and instrumentation, and applications of molecular diagnostics. Written by leading experts, including Patrick Bossuyt, Angela Caliendo, Rossa W.K. Chiu, Kojo S.J. Elenitoba-Johnson, Andrea Ferreira-Gonzalez, Amy Groszbach, Sultan Habeebu, Doris Haverstick, Malek Kamoun, Anthony Killeen, Noriko Kusukawa, Y.M. Dennis Lo, Elaine Lyon, Gwendolyn McMillin, Christopher Price, James Versalovic, Cindy Vnencak-Jones, Victor Weedn, Peter Wilding, Thomas Williams, and Carl Wittwer, this book includes illustrations, tables, and a colorful design to make information easy to find and easy to use.