Either way, the first thing you have to know is that it's a huge huge field, and you won't find any single book that introduces you well to every subtopic (it's just impossible), and the amount of background/support knowledge you need in order to be able to fully and critically appreciate even basic research papers is pretty enormous.
General biochem and cell bio:
- https://www.amazon.com/Biochemistry-Reginald-H-Garrett/dp/13...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Molecular-Cell-Biology-Harvey-Lodish-d...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Lehninger-Principles-Biochemistry-Davi...
Biotech:
- https://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biotechnology-Principles-Ap...
Cell signaling:
- https://www.amazon.com/Cell-Signaling-Wendell-Lim/dp/0815342...
Immunology:
- https://www.amazon.ca/Janeways-Immunobiology-Paperback-Versi...
- https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Inflammation-Charles-Ser...
Microbiology:
- https://www.amazon.com/Jawetz-Melnick-Adelbergs-Medical-Micr...
- https://www.amazon.com/Microbiology-Laboratory-Fundamentals-...
Embryology:
- https://www.amazon.com/Developmental-Biology-Michael-J-F-Bar...
Haematology:
- https://www.amazon.com/Hematology-Clinical-Practice-Fifth-Me...
Genetics and bioinformatics:
- I actually have never found a great textbook, please let me know if you know of any.
Anatomy & physiology (leaning more towards human & medical):
- https://www.amazon.ca/Human-Anatomy-Physiology-Elaine-Marieb...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Guyton-Hall-Textbook-Medical-Physiolog...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Medical-Physiology-Walter-Boron-PhD-dp...
Basic/general medicine (don't shoot me I'm trying to keep the list short and general):
- https://www.amazon.ca/Robbins-Cotran-Pathologic-Basis-Diseas...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Cecil-Essentials-Medicine-Edward-FIDSA...
- https://www.amazon.ca/Harrisons-Principles-Internal-Medicine...
Neuroanatomy (deserves a mention, one of my all time favs):
- https://www.amazon.ca/Neuroanatomy-through-Clinical-Cases-Bl...
USMLE step 1 prep materials are surprisingly good outlines, but not great for an introduction on their own:
- https://www.amazon.ca/First-USMLE-Step-Thirty-first/dp/12604...
Cancer:
- I don't know of any good textbooks on the subject, but once you have some of the fundamentals of biochem under your belt, start reading the papers referenced here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hallmarks_of_Cancer
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/fundamentals-of-inflamm...
https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Inflammation-Charles-Ser...