Fundamental Genetics is a concise, non-traditional textbook that explains major topics of modern genetics in 42 mini-chapters. It is designed as a textbook for an introductory general genetics course and is also a useful reference or refresher on basic genetics for professionals and students in health sciences and biological sciences. It is organized for ease of learning, beginning with molecular structures and progressing through molecular processes to population genetics and evolution. Students will find the short, focused chapters approachable and more easily digested than the long, more complex chapters of traditional genetics textbooks. Each chapter focuses on one topic, so that teachers and students can readily tailor the book to their needs by choosing a subset of chapters. The book is extensively illustrated throughout with clear and uncluttered diagrams that are simple enough to be reproduced by students. This unique textbook provides a compact alternative for introductory genetics courses.

John Ringo is a Professor of Biology at the University of Maine where his research focuses on Drosophila genetics, behavior, and evolution.