Explains why biotechnology is a relevant and volatile issues. Begins with a history of biotechnology and its effect on agriculture, medicine, and the environment. Equal space is devoted to discussing the efforts of human-rights advocates, animal-rights advocates, and environmentalists to create definitive governmental regulations for this budding industry.

Biotechnology, Second Edition approaches modern biotechnology from a molecular basis, which has grown out of increasing biochemical understanding of genetics and physiology. Using straightforward, less-technical jargon, Clark and Pazdernik introduce each chapter with basic concepts that develop into more specific and detailed applications. This up-to-date text covers a wide realm of topics including forensics, bioethics, and nanobiotechnology using colorful illustrations and concise applications. In addition, the book integrates recent, relevant primary research articles for each chapter, which are presented on an accompanying website. The articles demonstrate key concepts or applications of the concepts presented in the chapter, which allows the reader to see how the foundational knowledge in this textbook bridges into primary research. This book helps readers understand what molecular biotechnology actually is as a scientific discipline, how research in this area is conducted, and how this technology may impact the future. - Up-to-date text focuses on modern biotechnology with a molecular foundation - Includes clear, color illustrations of key topics and concept - Features clearly written without overly technical jargon or complicated examples - Provides a comprehensive supplements package with an easy-to-use study guide, full primary research articles that demonstrate how research is conducted, and instructor-only resources

With its integral treatment of ecosystem and resource management, this is the only overview of the field to address current thinking and future trends. All contributions have been written with the novice in mind, explaining the basics and highlighting recent developments and achievements. Unmatched in scope, this two-volume reference covers both traditional and well-established areas of marine biotechnology, such as biomass production, alongside such novel ones as biofuels, biological protection of structures and bioinspired materials. In so doing, it ties together information usually only found in widely dispersed sources to assemble a grand unified view of the current state of and prospects for this multi-faceted discipline. The combination of the breadth of topics and the focus on modern ideas make this introductory book especially suitable for teaching purposes and for guiding newcomers to the many possibilities offered by this booming field.

Bioactive compounds play a central role in high-value product development in the chemical industry. Bioactive compounds have been identified from diverse sources and their therapeutic benefits, nutritional value and protective effects in human and animal healthcare have underpinned their application as pharmaceuticals and functional food ingredients. The orderly study of biologically active products and the exploration of potential biological activities of these secondary metabolites, including their clinical applications, standardization, quality control, mode of action and potential biomolecular interactions, has emerged as one of the most exciting developments in modern natural medicine. Biotechnology of Bioactive Compounds describes the current stage of knowledge on the production of bioactive compounds from microbial, algal and vegetable sources. In addition, the molecular approach for screening bioactive compounds is also discussed, as well as examples of applications of these compounds on human health. The first half of the book comprises information on diverse sources of bioactive compounds, ranging from microorganisms and algae to plants and dietary foods. The second half of the book reviews synthetic approaches, as well as selected bioactivities and biotechnological and biomedical potential. The bioactive compounds profiled include compounds such as C-phycocyanins, glycosides, phytosterols and natural steroids. An overview of the usage of bioactive compounds as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, anti-allergic compounds and in stem cell research is also presented, along with an overview of the medicinal applications of plant-derived compounds. Biotechnology of Bioactive Compounds will be an informative text for undergraduate and graduate students of bio-medicinal chemistry who are keen to explore the potential of bioactive natural products. It also provides useful information for scientists working in various research fields where natural products have a primary role.

Egg Bioscience and Biotechnology provides a very focused look at the most recent advances in the study and value-added use of the bioactive components of eggs. This book focuses mainly on biologically active substances derived from egg components and their potential use. These include substances with anti-microbial, anti-adhesive, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-hypertensive, and anti-oxidant properties.

More than any other technology it is biotechnology that intervenes deeply in the original substance of life, the DNA. Particularly agricultural biotechnology, including its production of gene-food, plays a fundamental role for any kind of life and, therefore, for human societies. In this context, the interrelating dimensions of technology, economy, and politics have to be considered for doing justice to the high complexity of this research field. Pursuing this aim, this work elaborates the contingent necessities of agricultural biotechnology. At different levels of abstraction and complexity, occurrences are decoded as interplays of various different factors while reductionism and mono-causal explanations are fundamentally denied. This book is a comprehensive study of modern agricultural biotechnology that links current developments to relevant trajectories of past times. The author addresses political scientists, decision-makers and also natural scientists that are engaged in this field.