James Doulgeris & V.Michael Santoro Authors of The Dyodyne Experiment

Veteran biotechnology professionals and authors V. Michael Santoro and James Doulgeris believe DNA-based tracking devices may provide a biological equivalent to GPS systems, which can be hidden in simple viruses like the common cold. Their new fiction thriller, The Dyodyne Experiment (Synergy Books, June 2009, ISBN 978-0-9821601-2-1, $15.95), examines the consequences of technological advances on humankind. “The consequences of deploying a biotechnology that dynamically modifies the genetic code, like DNA-computers, are completely beyond our present understanding,” says Doulgeris, a healthcare industry professional with 35 years experience. “We wanted to explore what happens when the holy grail of biotechnology, a DNA-based biocomputer, enters the real world in response to a crisis.” In their new book, a government supported research team from Dyodyne Labs is forced to use their untested DNA-computer to identify and apprehend terrorists who launch a massive attack on New York City. But when the government’s intervention forces them to expand the technology’s capabilities, Dyodyne’s DNA tracker mutates, resulting in unexpected consequences. “The Dyodyne Experiment considers the implications of trading freedoms for safety, which is central to the cultural civil war our nation is experiencing today,” Santoro says. “Americans are divided between those who wish to guard our civil liberties at all costs, and those who will gladly give up some of their rights in exchange for safety from unknown terrorists.” The recent recipient of a 2009 Independent Publisher’s Book Award, The Dyodyne Experiment was awarded a gold medal in the popular fiction category.