The Evolution Of Biotechnology

This book traces the evolution of biotechnology from prehistoric organismal manipulation by our first settled ancestors through to speculation about future directions for the technology as it increasingly intersects with other high technologies such as IT and Nanotech. The trajectory is demonstrated by various events throughout history that have intersected or built on one another to lead to the forward progression of a technology.

This book shows, for the first time, how modern biotechnology grew out of this century's hopes for a new relationship between biology and engineering. Long before recombinant DNA, these promised a new kind of technology. By exploring the rich and surprisingly overlooked complex of prophesies, industrial and scientific development and government programs, the book sheds new light on the expectations now held for biotechnology. A world-wide view, covering developments, not just in America but also in Europe and Japan, uncovers surprising links. This makes possible a coherent story to supersede the historical notes which have been available until now. This first history of biotechnology provides a readable and challenging account that will appeal to anyone interested in the development of this key component of modern industry.

Scientific advances over the past several decades have accelerated the ability to engineer existing organisms and to potentially create novel ones not found in nature. Synthetic biology, which collectively refers to concepts, approaches, and tools that enable the modification or creation of biological organisms, is being pursued overwhelmingly for beneficial purposes ranging from reducing the burden of disease to improving agricultural yields to remediating pollution. Although the contributions synthetic biology can make in these and other areas hold great promise, it is also possible to imagine malicious uses that could threaten U.S. citizens and military personnel. Making informed decisions about how to address such concerns requires a realistic assessment of the capabilities that could be misused. Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology explores and envisions potential misuses of synthetic biology. This report develops a framework to guide an assessment of the security concerns related to advances in synthetic biology, assesses the levels of concern warranted for such advances, and identifies options that could help mitigate those concerns.

In The Biotechnologists, a series of outstanding biotechnology entrepreneurs - from the USA, the UK and continental Europe - tell their own stories of how they played a part in the evolution of the biotechnology companies they founded and/or now run. The book also looks at the role of venture capital and other forms of financing through their key stages of growth. A detailed introduction outlines the emergence of the biotech boom and its progress to date. A glossary explains scientific terms.

Living up to his reputation as our premier science and health "myth buster." Michael Fumento sorts out science from nonsense in this fascinating look at the amazing new age of biotechnology we are now entering. Bioevolution is science fact that reads like science fiction because of the wonders it describes. Most of the dramatic, life-changing advances it discusses are already far along the research pipeline and will come to fruition in ten years, five years, or less. Reporting from ground zero of laboratory experimentation and clinical trials. Michael Fumento shows that the biotech future is now. Book jacket.

This report surveys opportunities for future Army applications in biotechnology, including sensors, electronics and computers, materials, logistics, and medical therapeutics, by matching commercial trends and developments with enduring Army requirements. Several biotechnology areas are identified as important for the Army to exploit, either by direct funding of research or by indirect influence of commercial sources, to achieve significant gains in combat effectiveness before 2025.

The tremendous progress in biology over the last half century - from Watson and Crick's elucidation of the structure of DNA to today's astonishing, rapid progress in the field of synthetic biology - has positioned us for significant innovation in chemical production. New bio-based chemicals, improved public health through improved drugs and diagnostics, and biofuels that reduce our dependency on oil are all results of research and innovation in the biological sciences. In the past decade, we have witnessed major advances made possible by biotechnology in areas such as rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing, metabolic engineering, and high-throughput screening. The manufacturing of chemicals using biological synthesis and engineering could expand even faster. A proactive strategy - implemented through the development of a technical roadmap similar to those that enabled sustained growth in the semiconductor industry and our explorations of space - is needed if we are to realize the widespread benefits of accelerating the industrialization of biology. Industrialization of Biology presents such a roadmap to achieve key technical milestones for chemical manufacturing through biological routes. This report examines the technical, economic, and societal factors that limit the adoption of bioprocessing in the chemical industry today and which, if surmounted, would markedly accelerate the advanced manufacturing of chemicals via industrial biotechnology. Working at the interface of synthetic chemistry, metabolic engineering, molecular biology, and synthetic biology, Industrialization of Biology identifies key technical goals for next-generation chemical manufacturing, then identifies the gaps in knowledge, tools, techniques, and systems required to meet those goals, and targets and timelines for achieving them. This report also considers the skills necessary to accomplish the roadmap goals, and what training opportunities are required to produce the cadre of skilled scientists and engineers needed.

Animal biotechnology is a broad field including polarities of fundamental and applied research, as well as DNA science, covering key topics of DNA studies and its recent applications. In Introduction to Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, DNA isolation procedures followed by molecular markers and screening methods of the genomic library are explained in detail. Interesting areas such as isolation, sequencing and synthesis of genes, with broader coverage of the latter, are also described. The book begins with an introduction to biotechnology and its main branches, explaining both the basic science and the applications of biotechnology-derived pharmaceuticals, with special emphasis on their clinical use. It then moves on to the historical development and scope of biotechnology with an overall review of early applications that scientists employed long before the field was defined. Additionally, this book offers first-hand accounts of the use of biotechnology tools in the area of genetic engineering and provides comprehensive information related to current developments in the following parameters: plasmids, basic techniques used in gene transfer, and basic principles used in transgenesis. The text also provides the fundamental understanding of stem cell and gene therapy, and offers a short description of current information on these topics as well as their clinical associations and related therapeutic options.