Modern science is so much specialised that it seems utopic to try to follow it all at once. This new book is aimed at crossing the gap between specialists and a common understanding of 'modern science'. It would seem desirable that all educated people would know something from the humanities, literature, art but also the newest developments of natural sciences. One aim of this book is to point out the main messages of certain scientific fields, and what is really new and beyond the average educational level, in order to broaden our horizons. Therefore, at the end of the chapters each scientific field possible future contributions and and ethical concerns, if any, are elaborated.

This book brings up-to-date information on developments in studies of human stefins and cystatins, proteins with the function of cystein proteases (cathepsins) inhibition. The chapters start at the level of genes, go on with protein structure and function (proposal of alternative function), protein stability and folding, to mis-folding and mis-function. The book ends with chapters describing different disease states where stefins or cystatins are involved, from Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy to cancer.