Find out where our world is headed with this dazzling first-hand account of inventing the future from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Should I Do With My Life? and the founder of science accelerator IndieBio. Decoding the World is a buddy adventure about the quest to live meaningfully in a world with such uncertainty. It starts with Po Bronson coming to IndieBio. Arvind Gupta created IndieBio as a laboratory for early biotech startups trying to solve major world problems. Glaciers melting. Dying bees. Infertility. Cancer. Ocean plastic. Pandemics. Arvind is the fearless one, a radical experimentalist. Po is the studious detective, patiently synthesizing clues others have missed. Their styles mix and create a quadratic speedup of creativity. Yin and Yang crystallized. As they travel around the world, finding scientists to join their cause, the authors bring their firsthand experience to the great mysteries that haunt our future. Natural resource depletion. Job-taking robots. China's global influence. Arvind feels he needs to leave IndieBio to help startups do more than just get started. But as his departure draws near, he struggles to leave the sanctum he created. While Po has to prove he can keep the "indie" in IndieBio after Arvind is gone. After looking through their lens, you'll never see the world the same.

This detailed book aims to provide readers with critical information to accomplish the synthesis of nanosystems for the purpose of supramolecular entities complexing with drugs, targeted drug delivery system characterization, as well as the study of the physical-chemical interactions that govern the stability and properties of these systems. Beginning with a collection of chapters on drug delivery platforms such as cyclodextrins, micelles, liposomes, polymeric, nanotubes, and more, the volume continues with coverage of the study of nanotechnology systems using different biophysical techniques such as DSC, ITC, solid and liquid NMR spectroscopy, and electrochemistry. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Supramolecules in Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers working toward drug delivery mechanisms that can tailor their physical chemical properties and enhance their efficacy, while retaining their structures intact.

Biomimetics is the idea of creating new technologies abstracted from what we find in biology. Ocean Innovation: Biomimetics Beneath the Waves seeks that technological inspiration from the rich biodiversity of marine organisms. Bringing both a biological and engineering perspective to the biomimetic potential of oceanic organisms, this richly illustrated book investigates questions such as: How can we mimic the sensory systems of sea creatures like sharks, sea turtles, and lobsters to improve our ability to navigate underwater? What can we do to afford humans the opportunity to go unnoticed by marine life? How can we diffuse oxygen from water to enable deep diving without the risk of decompression sickness? Each chapter explores an area where we, as divers and technologists, can benefit from understanding how animals survive in the sea, presenting case studies that demonstrate how natural solutions can be applied to mankind's engineering challenges.

If you are a biologist and want to get the best out of the powerful methods of modern computational statistics, this is your book. You can visualize and analyze your own data, apply unsupervised and supervised learning, integrate datasets, apply hypothesis testing, and make publication-quality figures using the power of R/Bioconductor and ggplot2. This book will teach you 'cooking from scratch', from raw data to beautiful illuminating output, as you learn to write your own scripts in the R language and to use advanced statistics packages from CRAN and Bioconductor. It covers a broad range of basic and advanced topics important in the analysis of high-throughput biological data, including principal component analysis and multidimensional scaling, clustering, multiple testing, unsupervised and supervised learning, resampling, the pitfalls of experimental design, and power simulations using Monte Carlo, and it even reaches networks, trees, spatial statistics, image data, and microbial ecology. Using a minimum of mathematical notation, it builds understanding from well-chosen examples, simulation, visualization, and above all hands-on interaction with data and code.

This title brings together some of the greatest minds deliberating on the workings of the full biotechnology value chain - from the point of basic and applied research right through to the point of commercial production. Central to these deliberations is the search for a comprehensive set of solutions that is aimed at mobilising South Africa's biotechnology resources effectively for social and economic growth.

Bridging the gap between laboratory observations and industrial practices, this work presents detailed information on recombinant micro-organisms and their applications in industry and agriculture. All recombinant microbes, bacteria, yeasts and fungi are covered.

Presents an interdisciplinary approach, integrating biochemistry, biology, genetics, and engineering for the effective production of protein pharmaceuticals. This title offers a biological perspective of large-scale animal cell culture. It examines diverse processing strategies and process management.

A FRESH EXAMINATION OF PRECISION MEDICINE'S INCREASINGLY PROMINENT ROLE IN THE FIELD OF ONCOLOGY Precision medicine takes into account each patient's specific characteristics and requirements to arrive at treatment plans that are optimized towards the best possible outcome. As the field of oncology continues to advance, this tailored approach is becoming more and more prevalent, channelling data on genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other areas into new and innovative methods of practice. Precision Medicine in Oncology draws together the essential research driving the field forward, providing oncology clinicians and trainees alike with an illuminating overview of the technology and thinking behind the breakthroughs currently being made. Topics covered include: Biologically-guided radiation therapy Informatics for precision medicine Molecular imaging Biomarkers for treatment assessment Big data Nanoplatforms Casting a spotlight on this emerging knowledge base and its impact upon the management of tumors, Precision Medicine in Oncology opens up new possibilities and ways of working - not only for oncologists, but also for molecular biologists, radiologists, medical geneticists, and others.

A New York Times bestseller.

Winner of the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award.

'Chilling . . . Reads like a West Coast version of All the President’s Men.' New York Times Book Review

The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the multibillion-dollar biotech startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite pressure from its charismatic CEO and threats by her lawyers.

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier. Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work.

In Bad Blood, John Carreyrou tells the riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a tale of ambition and hubris set amid the bold promises of Silicon Valley.

Now to be adapted into a film, with Jennifer Lawrence to star.

This second edition book provides complete coverage of the computational approaches currently used in Synthetic Biology. New chapters detail computational methods and algorithms for the design of bio-components, insight on CAD programs, analysis techniques, and distributed systems. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, application details for both the expert and non-expert reader, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Computational Methods in Synthetic Biology, Second Edition aims to feature a broad overview of the research areas that can be met in the area of in silico Synthetic Biology.

Now presented in large format, the new Schmid is the ideal primer in biotechnology. The two-page layout with one page being a full color figure and the opposite page being explanatory text is the ideal combination between rapid visual-based learning with in depth information.

The present book volume presents a holistic view of the aspects of nanobiomaterials incl. their stellar merits and limitations, applications in diverse fields, their futuristic promise in the fields of biomedical science and drug delivery. The federal & regulatory issues on the usage of nanobiomaterials have been assigned due consideration.

Rapid advances in the life sciences means that there is now a far more detailed understanding of biological systems on the cellular, molecular and genetic levels. Sited at the intersection between the life sciences, the engineering sciences and the design sciences, innovations in the biomaterials industry are expected to garner increasing attention and play a key role in future development. This book examines the biomaterials innovations taking place in corporations and in academic research settings today. Biomaterials Innovation offers a comprehensive overview of life science innovation and presents empirical research in the field of biomaterials innovation. Alexander Styhre examines innovation management practices in the field of biomaterials development and explains institutional changes in the biomaterials industry. The demand for accomplishing biocompatibility between the human body and the materials developed is highlighted, as is the relationship between financial markets and biomaterials companies. Finally, the author discusses the therapeutic, regulatory and managerial implications of biomaterials innovation. Biomaterials Innovation will be required reading for any researcher, policy-maker or student interested in innovation management, the life sciences and the development of health care therapies.

Keep pace with the rapid developments in bioremediation field investigations

Youll welcome the rigorous project evaluation, design and operation guidelines this valuable guide puts at your disposal. Industry veteran John Cookson delivers job-tested insights into the most effective methods and provides the step-by-step details you need to put them to work.

Using plenty of case studies to demystify complex procedures, he gives you the tools you need to evaluate the potential for biodegradation of major classes of organic compounds; conduct treatability studies; assess the feasibility of bioremediation for any situation; and much,much more.

The book focuses on novel particulate technologies for the purpose of drug delivery to humans. Nowadays, macro and nano-scale particles are being investigated for targeted delivery of small and large biological macromolecules. The targeting of drugs can minimize the dosage regimen and reduces dose related potential toxicity of drug molecules, which in turn lead to increased potential compliance. Various types of organic, inorganic and polymer particles are currently being investigated. These are attracting the attention of the research workers in the field of drug delivery science and technology. This book covers polymersomes, inorganic- organic composites, gold nanoparticles biopolymer and synthetic polymer particles etc.All aspects of drug delivery in relation to each technology have been described including these advances, Easy to read and understand the content of each chapter Rich in up-to-date information regarding their application.

This book reviews state of the art regarding strategies for generating and improving microbial strains designed for utilizing renewable raw materials. It discusses methods for genetically engineering of thermophilic bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia coli and Zymomonas mobilis, as well as approaches for obtaining useful products from these renewable raw materials based on biotechnological processes using microbes to chemically transform them. However, the efficient transformation of lignocellulosic biomass or glycerol to useful products represents a major challenge: Biomass has to be treated physically and chemically to release a mixture of sugars that potentially can be employed by the microbial production strains. These hydrolytic treatments result in diverse toxic compounds being generated and released, that negatively impact strain performance. Furthermore, most of the commonly used industrial microbes do not have the natural capacity to efficiently utilize and transform the generated sugar mixtures or glycerol. The microbial species reviewed in this book possess particular advantages as production strains and are currently employed for the synthesis of numerous biofuels and chemicals. The book reviews the general and strain-specific genetic engineering strategies for the improvement of sugar mixtures and glycerol catabolism. The issue of lignocellulosic hydrolysate toxicity is addressed in several chapters, where genetic engineering and adaptive laboratory evolution strategies are reviewed and discussed. The objective of this book is to provide the current knowledge regarding strategies for the generation and improvement of microbial strains designed for the transformation of renewable raw materials into useful products. This book aims to become a reference for researchers and students working in this field.

Provides a professional, contemporary, and concise review of the current knowledge and advances in biomimetics This book covers the field of biomimicry, an area of science where researchers look to mimic aspects of plants or animals in order to solve problems in aerospace, shipping, building, electronics, and optics, among others. It presents the latest developments in biomimicry and gives readers sufficient grounding to help them understand the current, and sometimes technically complex, research literature. Different themes are covered throughout and text boxes deal with the relevant physics for readers who may lack this knowledge. Biomimetics: Nature-Inspired Design and Innovation examines issues in fluid dynamics such as avoiding sonic booms, reducing train noise, increasing wind turbine efficiency, and more. Next, it looks at optical applications, e.g. how nature generates color without dyes and pigment, and how animals stay cool in desert environments. A chapter on the built environment discusses cooling systems for buildings based on termite mounds; creating self-cleaning paint based on lotus leaves; unobtrusive solar panels based on ivy; and buildings that respond to the environment. Two more sections focus on biomimicry for the creation of smart materials and smart devices. The book finishes with a look at the field's future over the next decade. Presents each topic in sufficient detail in order to enable the reader to comprehend the original scientific papers Emphasizes those examples of biomimicry that have made it into products Features text boxes that provide information on the relevant physics or engineering principles for biologists who do not have a physics background Covers the scientific literature up to July 2019 Biomimetics: Nature-Inspired Design and Innovation is an excellent book for senior undergraduates and post-graduate students in the life sciences, material sciences, and bioengineering. It will also appeal to lay readers with an interest in nature as well as scientists in general.

This book presents a detailed overview and critical evaluation of the state of the art and latest approaches in genetic manipulation studies on plants to mitigate the impact of climate change on growth and productivity. Each chapter has been written by experts in plant-stress biology and highlights the involvement of a variety of genes/pathways and their regulation in abiotic stress, recent advances in molecular breeding (identification of tightly liked markers, QTLs/genes), transgenesis (introduction of exogenous genes or changing the expression of endogenous stress- responsive genes) and genomics approaches that have made it easier to identify and isolate several key genes involved in abiotic stress such as drought, water lodging/flooding, extreme temperatures, salinity and heavy-metal toxicity. Food and nutritional security has emerged as a major global challenge due to expanding populations, and cultivated areas becoming less productive as a result of extreme climatic changes adversely affecting the quantity and quality of plants. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop crop varieties resilient to abiotic stress to ensure food security and combat increased input costs, low yields and the marginalization of land. The role of GM crops in poverty alleviation, nutrition and health in developing countries and their feasibility in times of climate change are also discussed. Recent advances in gene technologies have shown t he potential for faster, more targeted crop improvements by transferring genes across the sexual barriers. The book is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers, students, planners and industrialists working in the area of biotechnology, plant agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, plant physiology, molecular biology, plant sciences and environmental sciences.

The basic concept of this book is to examine the use of innovative methods augmenting traditional plant breeding towards the development of new crop varieties under different environmental conditions to achieve sustainable food production. This book consists of two volumes: Volume 1 subtitled Breeding, Biotechnology and Molecular Tools and Volume 2 subtitled Agronomic, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Traits. This is Volume 1 which consists of 21 chapters covering domestication and germplasm utilization, conventional breeding techniques and the role of biotechnology. In addition to various biotechnological applications in plant breeding, it includes functional genomics, mutations and methods of detection, and molecular markers. In vitro techniques and their applications in plant breeding are discussed with an emphasis on embryo rescue, somatic cell hybridization and somaclonal variation. Other chapters cover haploid breeding, transgenics, cryogenics and bioinformatics.

This Springer Handbook provides, for the first time, a complete and consistent overview over the methods, applications, and products in the field of marine biotechnology. A large portion of the surface of the earth (ca. 70%) is covered by the oceans. More than 80% of the living organisms on the earth are found in aquatic ecosystems. The aquatic systems thus constitute a rich reservoir for various chemical materials and (bio-)chemical processes. Edited by a renowned expert with a longstanding experience, and including over 60 contributions from leading international scientists, the Springer Handbook of Marine Biotechnology is a major authoritative desk reference for everyone interested or working in the field of marine biotechnology and bioprocessing - from undergraduate and graduate students, over scientists and teachers, to professionals. Marine biotechnology is concerned with the study of biochemical materials and processes from marine sources, that play a vital role in the isolation of novel drugs, and to bring them to industrial and pharmaceutical development. Today, a multitude of bioprocess techniques is employed to isolate and produce marine natural compounds, novel biomaterials, or proteins and enzymes from marine organisms, and to bring them to applications as pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals or nutraceuticals, or for the production of bioenergy from marine sources. All these topics are addressed by the Springer Handbook of Marine Biotechnology. The book is divided into ten parts. Each part is consistently organized, so that the handbook provides a sound introduction to marine biotechnology - from historical backgrounds and the fundamentals, over the description of the methods and technology, to their applications - but it can also be used as a reference work. Key topics include: - Marine flora and fauna - Tools and methods in marine biotechnology - Marine genomics - Marine microbiology - Bioenergy and biofuels - Marine bioproducts in industrial applications - Marine bioproducts in medical and pharmaceutical applications - and many more...

Would you change your genes if you could? As we confront the 'industrial revolution of the genome', the recent discoveries of Crispr-Cas9 technologies are offering, for the first time, cheap and effective methods for editing the human genome. This opens up startling new opportunities as well as significant ethical uncertainty. Tracing events across a fifty-year period, from the first gene splicing techniques to the present day, this is the story of gene editing - the science, the impact and the potential. Kozubek weaves together the fascinating stories of many of the scientists involved in the development of gene editing technology. Along the way, he demystifies how the technology really works and provides vivid and thought-provoking reflections on the continuing ethical debate. This updated paperback edition contains all the very latest on the patent battle over Crisp and the applications of Crispr technology in agriculture and medicine.

Learn about the state of the art in building artificial membranes and synthetic biological devices, and in constructing mathematical models for their dynamics at multiple time and spatial scales with this comprehensive book. Drawing on recent advances in bioengineering and biochemistry, it describes how to engineer tethered bilayer lipid membranes, bioelectronic interfaces, high-resolution biosensors, and diagnostic devices for non-invasive cellular measurements and electroporation. Multi-physics models combining atomistic (molecular dynamics and coarse-grained molecular dynamics), mesoscopic (Poisson-Nernst-Planck), and macroscopic (reaction-rate theory) dynamics provide a complete structure-to-function description of these devices. Experiments and dynamic models explain how anti-microbial peptides penetrate membranes, how molecular machine biosensors built out of artificial membranes can detect femtomolar concentrations, and how electroporation can be controlled. Supported by atomistic simulation code online, this is essential reading for researchers, students and professionals in bioengineering, chemical engineering, biophysics, applied mathematics, and electrical engineering.

Graph theory can be applied to ecological questions in many ways, and more insights can be gained by expanding the range of graph theoretical concepts applied to a specific system. But how do you know which methods might be used? And what do you do with the graph once it has been obtained? This book provides a broad introduction to the application of graph theory in different ecological systems, providing practical guidance for researchers in ecology and related fields. Readers are guided through the creation of an appropriate graph for the system being studied, including the application of spatial, spatio-temporal, and more abstract structural process graphs. Simple figures accompany the explanations to add clarity, and a broad range of ecological phenomena from many ecological systems are covered. This is the ideal book for graduate students and researchers looking to apply graph theoretical methods in their work.