This is the first monograph on computation in living cells - one of the
central and fastest growing areas of research in this field. Gene
assembly in ciliates (unicellular organisms) is a splendid example of
such computations. This work has helped to clarify important biological
aspects of gene assembly, yielded novel insights into the nature of
computation, and broadened our understanding of what computation is
about. The monograph gives an accessible account of both the biology and
the formal analysis of the gene assembly process. It can be used as a
textbook for either graduate courses or seminars.