Book excerpt: Written by biomedical scientists and clinicians, with the purpose of disseminating the fundamental scientific principles that underpin medicine, this new edition of the Oxford Handbook of Medical Sciences provides a clear, easily digestible account of basic cell physiology and biochemistry. It also includes an investigation of the traditional pillars of medicine (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology and pharmacology) integrated in the context of each of the major systems relevant to the human body. Cross-referenced to the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine, and thoroughly illustrated, it is the ideal introduction to the medical sciences for medical students and biomedical scientists, as well as a valuable refresher for junior doctors.