Book excerpt: Recognition of the importance of the basic sciences in medicine has led to a growing emphasis on such questions in both the MRCP part 1 and 2 examinations. This book was written in response to the need for a revision guide of the core basic sciences, namely genetics, microbiology, immunology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, statistics, and epidemiology. In this second edition the immunology and genetics chapters have been updated along with a section on molecular medicine.