Biochemistry Textbooks

I have always been a biochemistry student, facilitator and lecturer. I have taught medical biochemistry since June 1982; this is my 31st year teaching my favourite subject. There is a big difference between what is needed in pure biochemistry and medical biochemistry. Pure biochemistry requires a good knowledge of basic and applied chemistry. Medical biochemistry requires a good knowledge of applications of biochemical and chemical pathology knowledge in clinical cases.

The way biochemistry is heading, students will need to know quite a lot of biochemistry methods and basic & applied knowledge to be able to appreciate the complexity of depth of knowledge we have today about our own bodies and what goes on inside us. That's makes it very interesting when we have access to good books.

I would always suggest students to read up whenever they come across a case that they know little about. It is very gratifying to be able to understand a case at hand fully when they is sufficient material to read, comprehend and explore more. Nothing is ever complete and studying a case is like that.

Textbooks only fill a part of basic reading we need to know. Higher reading materials are those produced by specialised research groups and institutes. These are published as articles in scientific journals and monographs. It will be good to always be on the lookout for developments in any research area and try to understand issues and challenges as and when they are published.

Even though we don't read textbooks once we enter into the workforce, I still think they are necessary once in a while. They are needed to see what the new developments are. We should be reminded that what goes into textbooks have been out there for at least 10 years. So textbooks are backward in this regard. Nevertheless, we need them to teach our students. They will in turn need to turn to journals and more recent research book publications to find out more about recent development and updates.

The language used in the textbooks sometimes confuse students. Here in Malaysia we use British English or UK English spellings and measures. US textbooks use US spellings and measures. I often tell the students the differences so that they are aware.

I noticed that it is easier to read textbooks written in US English as the sentence structure is straight forward. I noticed that textbooks written in UK English are harder to read and comprehend as the sentence structure is not so straight forward. I have seen Stryer written in Korean script. I have seen Biochemistry written in Malaysian Malay. The diagrams matter most when I don't understand the text when it is written in languages other than English.

The following are some of the books I have used and/or evaluated for teaching medical biochemistry to our first year medical and dental students at our medical school. I evaluate books for class use and suggest to students in class or here at my blog. Some are new books. I will add more when they come to my desk and attention.


Title: Basic Medical Biochemistry: A clinical approach.
Author: Dawn B. Marks, Allan D. Marks, Colleen M. Smith
Publisher: Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia
Textbook: International Edition, 1996
ISBN: 0-683-05595-X
Web: www.wwilkins.com
Email: custserv@wwilkins.com
Language: US English
Purchase date: May 1997 (softcover)
Review:

1. 2-tone texts, diagrams, titles and highlights (black and green). 
2. Two-part layout with a bigger column for text and a side column for additional texts, diagrams, reaction pathways, definitions, or cases. 
3. Well-drawn, clear simplified, annotated diagrams with bold and light texts.
4. The cases are laid out differently; they are introduced in one chapter and completed in other chapters; it is easy to lose track of the cases. To put an entire case together means flipping through several pages.
5. Each chapter opens with the scope that will be covered.
6. Easy to read for first year students.

Title: Essential Biochemistry
Author: Pratt
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Year: 2014
ISBN: 1118083504
Complimentary copy was sent from Singapore office for evaluation (hardcover; 27 Oct 2013)
WILEY
BOOK DISTRIBUTION
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#07-01 SOLARIS SOUTH TOWER
SINGAPORE 138628
TEL. 65 66438000 (MAIN)
TEL. 65 66438333 (CSD HOTLINE)
FAX. 65 66438397
EMAIL. csd_ord@wiley.com

Review:

1. This is a good book if you need more recent structures on many biochemical compounds. 
2. Many of the diagrams feature 3D structures which were obtained from research labs
3. Colourful iStock photos appear at the start of each chapter
4. Colourful diagrams in most chapters
5. Very detailed mechanisms in some parts especially on nucleic acids and cell signalling
6. Detailed calculations for many reactions
7. Clinical correlates appear at the end of each chapter or section
8. More updated clinical information compared to many textbooks