Many health benefits have been attributed to selenium that include preventing various forms of cancer (e.g., colon cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer), heart disease and other cardiovascular and muscle disorders, inhibiting viral expression, delaying the progression of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, slowing the aging process, and having roles in mammalian development, including male reproduction and immune function. The purpose of the book is the same as the first three volumes which is to bring an up to date status of current research in the rapidly developing selenium field centered around the health benefits attributed to this element and how this element makes its way into protein.

Dolph Hatfield is Scientist Emeritus in the Molecular Biology of Selenium Section at the National Cancer Institute.Ulrich Schweizer, is Professor at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.Petra Tsuji is Assistant Professor in the at the Department of Biological Sciences at Towson University.Vadim N. Gladyshev, is Professor in the Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.