title: Basics of molecular biology and its applications: I. Molecular biology in medicine: basic concepts.
abstract: Medicine has, in recent years, incorporated wave after wave of new scientific discoveries and technologies. Molecular medicine is one of these technologies and shows a dramatic example of the impact of advances in basic science. Advances in molecular biology have revolutionized daily clinical practice, particularly in developed countries, such that practitioners who received their medical education decades ago now need to adapt to this new discipline. While molecular medicine may not be a priority health issue in developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, it is equally important to ensure that the basic principles of knowledge and understanding of what goes on in that field form part of today's teaching of all practitioners of medicine and allied health workers. The three papers in this series aim to present molecular biology and its medical applications in as simple and lucid a manner as possible so that its scientific basis and principles as well as its potential for diagnosis and management of diseases are well appreciated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Erasmus
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Ogunbanjo
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000235:genetics; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D004501:Education, Medical; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science; D008511:Medicine; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000193:education; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D010957:Plasmids; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA