Fundamentals Of Biology

Fundamentals of Molecular Structural Biology reviews the mathematical and physical foundations of molecular structural biology. Based on these fundamental concepts, it then describes molecular structure and explains basic genetic mechanisms. Given the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research, early career researchers and those shifting into an adjacent field often require a "fundamentals" book to get them up-to-speed on the foundations of a particular field. This book fills that niche. Provides a current and easily digestible resource on molecular structural biology, discussing both foundations and the latest advances Addresses critical issues surrounding macromolecular structures, such as structure-based drug discovery, single-particle analysis, computational molecular biology/molecular dynamic simulation, cell signaling and immune response, macromolecular assemblies, and systems biology Presents discussions that ultimately lead the reader toward a more detailed understanding of the basis and origin of disease

For decades biology has focused on decoding cellular processes one gene at a time, but many of the most pressing biological questions, as well as diseases such as cancer and heart disease, are related to complex systems involving the interaction of hundreds, or even thousands, of gene products and other factors. How do we begin to understand this complexity? Fundamentals of Systems Biology: From Synthetic Circuits to Whole-cell Models introduces students to methods they can use to tackle complex systems head-on, carefully walking them through studies that comprise the foundation and frontier of systems biology. The first section of the book focuses on bringing students quickly up to speed with a variety of modeling methods in the context of a synthetic biological circuit. This innovative approach builds intuition about the strengths and weaknesses of each method and becomes critical in the book’s second half, where much more complicated network models are addressed—including transcriptional, signaling, metabolic, and even integrated multi-network models. The approach makes the work much more accessible to novices (undergraduates, medical students, and biologists new to mathematical modeling) while still having much to offer experienced modelers--whether their interests are microbes, organs, whole organisms, diseases, synthetic biology, or just about any field that investigates living systems.

The Fundamentals of Biology is a study guide geared towards late middle and early high school students hoping to learn more about the world around us. Whether it be used for test preparation or for satisfying one's curiosity, this book will provide an outline of how life functions. Starting at the molecular level, The Fundamentals of Biology will explain concisely how seemingly minuscule things can have a massive impact on a larger scale. Each unit of this book will have several topics within them, organized in a way to help the reader understand connections between concepts. The seven major ideas covered are as follows: Chemistry- In order to see what makes life tick, the reader will learn the essential molecules their interactions; The Cell- As the basic building block of life, their complex structure and functions will be explained; Cell Processes- This includes the basics of photosynthesis, cell respiration, as well as cell division; Heredity and Genetics- How information is passed from one generation to another is detailed in this topic; Body Systems- The wide array of human body systems are covered here, from the skeletal to the endocrine; Taxonomy- All living things are organized into groups based on similar traits and are outlined in this book; Evolution and Ecology- This topic covers how species change over time and their interactions with the environment. Scattered around the book are helpful tips to assist in the memorization of concepts, small pieces of information that are interesting and provides context, as well as suggestions on what the reader can do to experience certain concepts. In addition, pictures and diagrams are embedded within the book to give a visual perspective on specific ideas, and at the end of each topic is a vocabulary list to aid in the learning process.

Promoting the process of science and the wonder of discovery, this text focuses more on concepts in biology and less on detailed information on biological procedures. Every chapter begins with Steps to Discovery vignettes which tell the story of how an investigation led to a scientific breakthrough, describing the people, ideas and thought processes involved. Using evolution as its theme the book includes critical thinking questions which encourage readers to become more science literate by applying their knowledge to other areas of biology and science.

Concepts of Biology is designed for the single-semester introduction to biology course for non-science majors, which for many students is their only college-level science course. As such, this course represents an important opportunity for students to develop the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to make informed decisions as they continue with their lives. Rather than being mired down with facts and vocabulary, the typical non-science major student needs information presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. Even more importantly, the content should be meaningful. Students do much better when they understand why biology is relevant to their everyday lives. For these reasons, Concepts of Biology is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand.We also strive to show the interconnectedness of topics within this extremely broad discipline. In order to meet the needs of today's instructors and students, we maintain the overall organization and coverage found in most syllabi for this course. A strength of Concepts of Biology is that instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Concepts of Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand--and apply--key concepts.

In the new edition of this highly successful book, Malcolm Hunter and new co-author James Gibbs offer a thorough introduction to the fascinating and important field of conservation biology, focusing on what can be done to maintain biodiversity through management of ecosystems and populations. Starting with a succinct look at conservation and biodiversity, this book progresses to contend with some of the subject's most complex topics, such as mass extinctions, ecosystem degradation, and over exploitation. Discusses social, political, and economic aspects of conservation biology. Thoroughly revised with over six hundred new references and web links to many of the organizations involved in conservation biology, striking photographs and maps. Artwork from the book is available to instructors online at www.blackwellpublishing.com/hunter and by request on CD-ROM.