This book describes emerging and established industrial processes of biomining technologies used for the recovery of metals of economic interest from, e.g. mineral ores, mining and electronic wastes using microbiological technologies. Multiple chapters focus on engineering design and operation of biomining systems. Several industrial case studies from China, Chile, Peru, Russia/Kazakhstan and Finland are included, which emphasises the practical approach of the book. The reader not only learns more about the biology, diversity and ecology of microorganisms involved in biomining processes, but also about microbial biomolecular and cultivation tools used in the biomining industry. Special emphasis is put on emerging biotechnologies enabling the use of biomining for recycling metals from e-wastes, waste streams and process waters. Finally, the future impacts and direction of biomining towards sustainability in a metal-demanding world are also highlighted. The book is aimed at an interdisciplinary audience involving operators and researchers working across disciplines including geology, chemical engineering, microbiology and molecular biology. This is reflected by the content of this book, as well as by its authors, who are all leading practitioners and authorities in their fields.

This Volume describes methods for simulating natural environments by using reproducible and controllable meso- and microcosm experiments to analyse hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms and to test hypotheses. It presents important aspects of the preparation of experimental set-ups, hydrocarbon application and sampling, and features protocols for experiments with different types of samples, such as biofilms, aquatic systems (e.g. groundwater, streams), and sediments, including oscillating oxic-anoxic mesocosms, as well as for in-situ experimentation in subtidal and deep sediments. Two chapters are dedicated to cultivation under high-pressure conditions, and several chapters include protocols for processing samples for downstream chemical, microbial or activity analyses. Several of the approaches presented are generic and will benefit anyone embarking on designing meso- and microcosm experiments. < Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols There are tens of thousands of structurally different hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon derivatives and lipids, and a wide array of these molecules are required for cells to function. The global hydrocarbon cycle, which is largely driven by microorganisms, has a major impact on our environment and climate. Microbes are responsible for cleaning up the environmental pollution caused by the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and will also be pivotal in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels by providing biofuels, plastics and industrial chemicals. Gaining an understanding of the relevant functions of the wide range of microbes that produce, consume and modify hydrocarbons and related compounds will be key to responding to these challenges. This comprehensive collection of current and emerging protocols will facilitate acquisition of this understanding and exploitation of useful activities of such microbes.

This detailed volume explores perspectives and methods using cell-free expression (CFE) to enable next-generation synthetic biology applications. The first section focuses on tools for CFE systems, including a primer on DNA handling and reproducibility, as well as methods for cell extract preparation from diverse organisms and enabling high-throughput cell-free experimentation. The second section provides an array of applications for CFE systems, such as metabolic engineering, membrane-based and encapsulated CFE, cell-free sensing and detection, and educational kits. 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, Cell-Free Gene Expression: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers seeking technical methods to current aspects of CFE and related applications.

This book focuses on a broad range of immunomodulators, including both natural and synthetic ones. It highlights their role in human health. The book discusses nanotechnology-based immunomodulators with special emphasis on different types of formulation to boost the immune system. It highlights the role of immunomodulators against different microbes. This book describes important topics such as Classification and uses of various immunomodulators; Potential role of herbs and spices on immune system; Immune booster activity of prebiotics; Recent advances of nutraceutical and functional foods in Immune health; Antioxidants and immunomodulation; Nanotechnology and immunomodulators in cancer; Immunomodulatory role for the treatment and management of tuberculosis; Immunomodulation in autoimmune disorders; Herbal immunomodulators and COVID-19; Role of Cytokines as Immunomodulators and Immunomodulatory effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals. This book covers various aspects of product innovation, development, and launching of nutritional and pharmaceutical products with reference to immunomodulators. This book is meant for researchers and students in the field of immunology and pharmaceutical sciences.

This self contained book presents a comprehensive overview of the past, present and future of the galactose regulon of yeast, the classical model system of molecular biologists. The book starts with a brief historical overview on yeast research. This is followed by molecular genetics of the galactose regulon, isolation of genes and testing of the hypotheses. Contemporary topics including genomics, evolution, binary and graded responses, and stochasticity are all addressed.

The edited book covers all potential products from microalgal-based biorefinery having the focus on contemporary technologies and future outlook. Along with the focus on microalgal biorefinery products, the book also focuses on biotechnological advances via the utilization of modern molecular biology, system biology, synthetic biology, or metabolic engineering approach in microalgal biorefinery. The development of any technologies has a direct effect on the human being and the environment, therefore, the socio-economic, techno-economic, and environmental impact of the microalgae-based biorefineries will also be included in the book. In microalgal biomass-based biorefinery different biofuel- biodiesel, bioethanol, bio-hydrogen, and value-added compounds such as carotenoids, fatty acids, and protein can be produced simultaneously. Understanding the technical advances to develop an integrated biorefinery approach with the motive of designing a consolidated self-sustainable microalga-based biorefinery. This book is equally beneficial for researchers and engineers in biomass-based biorefineries or the bachelors, master, or young budding graduate students as a textbook.

This book review series presents current trends in modern biotechnology. The aim is to cover all aspects of this interdisciplinary technology where knowledge, methods and expertise are required from chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, chemical engineering and computer science.Volumes are organized topically and provide a comprehensive discussion of developments in the respective field over the past 3-5 years. The series also discusses new discoveries and applications. Special volumes are dedicated to selected topics which focus on new biotechnological products and new processes for their synthesis and purification.In general, special volumes are edited by well-known guest editors. The series editor and publisher will however always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information. Manuscripts are accepted in English.

The Flax Genome is a comprehensive compilation of most recent studies focused on reference genome, genetic resources and molecular diversity, breeding, QTL mapping, gene editing tools, functional genomics and metabolomics, molecular breeding via genomic selection, and genomic resources. The flax genome reference sequences and the new genome assemblies are presented. A list of flax QTL and candidate genes associated with more than 35 traits, including yield and agronomic, seed quality and fatty acid composition, fibre quality and yield, abiotic stress, and disease resistance traits, are summarized. A QTL- based genomic selection strategy and genome-editing tools are systematically introduced. In addition, huge amounts of flax genomic resources generated in the last decade are summarized. The book contains 13 chapters with about 390 pages authored by globally reputed researchers in the relevant fields to this crop The book is intended to be useful to students, teachers, and researchers interested in traditional and molecular breeding, pathology, molecular genetics and breeding, bioinformatics and computational biology, and functional genomics

This edited book is a comprehensive compilation highlighting sources of biostimulants, their production, influence on plant growth and development, and regulatory status of plant biostimulants for better understanding and opening new vistas for future research. Biostimulants, the biological formulations are known to meliorate the plants growth and vigour, improve nutritional efficiency along with maintaining their well-being mainly via providing protection against a wide range of infections. Both horticultural as well as agricultural crops involve the utilization of the biostimulants. Fulvic and humic acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, protein hydrolysates, favourable bacteria and fungi, and extracts of seaweed are the chief active components of these. The major driving force for these materials is the organic farming industry and demand for sustainable crop production. This book will be of great interest to researchers, teachers, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policy makers. Moreover, this book does the work of a supplementary reading for students in various fields such as agriculture, soil science, ecology, environmental science and forestry at undergraduate as well as graduate level. This will be a gainful read for national and international agricultural scientists and the policy makers. * Elaborates on biostimulants induced influence of plant growth and development * Covers all aspects of biostimulants sources and its role in plant life in detail * Discusses evidence based approach in biostimulants sources and its useful applications in plants

8-Membered Heterocycle Synthesis focuses on both the new and established methods for the synthesis of various 8-membered heterocycles. 8-membered heterocyclic compounds act as target molecules for a wide range of synthetic studies and are present in a broad range of natural products, showing a wide variety of pharmaceutical and biological properties. Covering an important and rapidly growing branch of heterocyclic chemistry, this book brings together every protocol for the synthesis of 8-membered heterocycles in one place, allowing the reader to see all the possibilities for making a particular compound using one particular reagent. Providing up-to-date and comprehensive information about the synthesis of medium-ring heterocycles and the latest information on this fast-moving field, with easy access to the synthetic protocols for different 8-membered heterocycles, case studies, and application, this book will be essential reading for students, pharmacologists, biochemists, organic and medicinal chemists, researchers, and academic professionals.

Smart Nanomaterials to Combat the Spread of Viral Infections comprises nanotechnology-based approaches with detailed preventive and treatment methodology for enabling their application in antiviral systems. This book discusses the role of metal nanoparticles in the treatment of and prevention of viral infections and nanotechnology advancements in antiviral coatings to combat affected surfaces. It also covers the use of nanomaterials for the efficient intracellular delivery of antiviral agents to disinfect and treat viral infections. This is a timely coverage of how nanotechnologies and materials as well as the utilization of artificial intelligence and Internet of things-based smart nano-systems are used to control and manage viral infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advances in smart research and future antimicrobial applications round out the book. This book provides a comprehensive overview of smart nanomaterials and advanced nano-system applications to researchers and academics in virology, microbiology, chemistry, material science, nanotechnology, and biotechnology as well as those in industries interested in their virucidal properties to prevent viral infections.

Nanomaterials for Photodynamic Therapy takes a unique approach to this area, with a key focus on the use of nanomaterials and nanocarriers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The book introduces the history and mechanism of action behind PDT, covering the variety of sensitizers currently available. Subsequent chapters review existing and emerging nanomaterials for PDT, including hydrogel nanocomposites, fullerenes, quantum dots, polymeric micelles, and more. Challenges and translational aspects of PDT are also discussed, touching on the issues and hindrances of drug resistant cancers. The book bridges the gap between the physics and clinical aspects of PDT, offering a unique nanomaterials-focused perspective. This book will prove useful for materials scientists, biomedical engineers, electrical and optical engineers, and pharmaceutical scientists interested in cancer treatment.

Animal cell technology has undergone a rapid transformation over the last decade from a research tool and highly specialised technology to a central resource for innovation in pharmaceutical research and development. These proceedings of the 14th Meeting of the European Society for Animal Cell Technology (Vilamoura, Portugal, May 1996) bring up to date the historical perspective of animal cell technology for the benefit of society, `From Vaccines to Genetic Medicine', and will charter this vital technology for the years to come. Strong contributions are grouped in the traditional ESACT areas of 'Cell and Physiology Engineering' dealing with cell state, including genetics, and its environment, and 'Animal Cell Process Engineering' covering integration of bioreaction with bioseparation coupled with on-line monitoring to improve protein production and consistency. Extensive coverage of metabolic engineering on synthesis, folding, assembly, transiting and secretion is dealt with in the session on 'Recombinant Proteins: Biosynthesis and Bioprocessing'. Two traditional but expanding areas of animal cell technology relevance are highlighted in the broad sessions of 'Animal Cells as Tools for Discovery and Testing' and 'Animal Cell Vaccines: Present and Future'. Two sessions finally cover the more recent domains of animal cell technology work - 'Tissue Engineering and Biomedical Devices' and 'Cells and Vectors for Genetic Medicine' - where one can foresee a very bright future.

Personalized healthcare -- or what the award-winning author Donna Dickenson calls "Me Medicine" -- is radically transforming our longstanding "one-size-fits-all" model. Technologies such as direct-to-consumer genetic testing, pharmacogenetically developed therapies in cancer care, private umbilical cord blood banking, and neurocognitive enhancement claim to cater to an individual's specific biological character, and, in some cases, these technologies have shown powerful potential. Yet in others they have produced negligible or even negative results. Whatever is behind the rise of Me Medicine, it isn't just science. So why is Me Medicine rapidly edging out We Medicine, and how has our commitment to our collective health suffered as a result?

In her cogent, provocative analysis, Dickenson examines the economic and political factors fueling the Me Medicine phenomenon and explores how, over time, this paradigm shift in how we approach our health might damage our individual and collective well-being. Historically, the measures of "We Medicine," such as vaccination and investment in public-health infrastructure, have radically extended our life spans, and Dickenson argues we've lost sight of that truth in our enthusiasm for "Me Medicine."

Dickenson explores how personalized medicine illustrates capitalism's protean capacity for creating new products and markets where none existed before -- and how this, rather than scientific plausibility, goes a long way toward explaining private umbilical cord blood banks and retail genetics. Drawing on the latest findings from leading scientists, social scientists, and political analysts, she critically examines four possible hypotheses driving our Me Medicine moment: a growing sense of threat; a wave of patient narcissism; corporate interests driving new niche markets; and the dominance of personal choice as a cultural value. She concludes with insights from political theory that emphasize a conception of the commons and the steps we can take to restore its value to modern biotechnology.

This book is the ultimate assembly of recent research activities on molecular architectonics and nanoarchitectonics by authors who are worldwide experts. The book proposes new ways of creating functional materials at the nano level using the concepts of molecular architectonics and nanoarchitectonics, which are expected to be the next-generation approaches beyond conventional nanotechnology. All the contents are categorized by types of materials, organic materials, biomaterials, and nanomaterials. For that reason, non-specialists including graduate and undergraduate students can start reading the book from any points they would like. Cutting-edge trends in nanotechnology and material sciences are easily visible in the contents of the book, which is highly useful for both students and experimental materials scientists.

The aim of the Technical Advisory Committee, in planning the c~:>Dtent of this meeting, was to illustrate the range of separation processes in which the use of membranes was practical and effective at an industrial scale. As Professor Strathmann reveals, the market for process equipment built around membranes is now worth about $5x1(f annually, and it seemed important to review this technology, and to point the direction of future technical advances. All but the most critical reader should find some items of interest. The Committee would admit to not fulftlling all of thier aims, although those delegates who attended the meeting in Edinburgh judged it a success. In the event it provided representative examples of processes from the food and beverage industry, from water treatment, and from the chemical industry, of which the removal of alcohol from fermented beverages, shipboard desalination and solvent recovery are three. The major uses of charged membranes and sterile processes are not covered, nor 9 is the largest market, $1.2x10 annually, for artificial kidney dialysis. However, it is interesting to see artificial kidney now finding an alternative use as a reactor for the production of monoclonal antibodies. We are also reminded by Professor Michel of the importance and efficiency of natural membranes in the kidney under conditions where fouling is crucial to their performance and enhances their selectivity.

This edited book is a comprehensive compilation of principles, conventional and molecular approaches used to develop improved varieties and hybrids of major crops in light of their origin, evolution, taxonomy, production and productivity and need by human civilization. The book covers breeding prospects of all important food and commercial crops. It highlights the importance of breeding tools and techniques in ensuring food security. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, agriculture scientists, capacity builders, and policymakers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists and policymakers will find this book useful.

This volume provides a practical guide providing step-by-step methods and protocols on vaccine development and production. Divided into three volumes, Volume 3: Resources for Vaccine Development guides readers through chapters on vaccine adjuvants, vaccine vectors, production, vaccine delivery systems, vaccine bioinformatics, vaccine regulation, and intellectual property. Written in the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, includes tips on troubleshooting and known pitfalls, and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols. Authoritative and practical, Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition, Volume 3: Resources for Vaccine Development aims to be a useful practical guide to researchers to help further their study in this field.

The biotechnology business in India with an increase from USD 500 million in 1997 and reaching an estimated USD I billion next year health related prod ucts accounting for 60%, agro and veterinary products together 15%, and con tract R&D, reagents, devices and supplies adding up to the remaining 25% of which the diagnostics share was about 10% of the total surely presented an encouraging picture even five years ago. While volumes have increased, the pat tern has not. According to a report, prepared by McKinsey & Co, India's Phar maceutical industry including domestic and export sales and contract services totals nearly USD 5 billion. Furthermore, the company optimistically projects the growth to a factor of five fold only if both the industry and the government are able to put in place achievable solutions that must take care of the formida ble obstacles preventing further growth. If this assessment is correct, then the established transformation made by IT growth should also provide the confi dence required by the high expectations for biotechnology which have arisen in the country in recent years. Some contributors to this are overenthusiastic these are bureaucrats, some retired scientists and of course the complacent politicians who have the least knowledge of what the new biotechnology is all about. However, there are clear indications of biotechnology growth demon strated by a few but rapidly expanding biotech companies such as Biocon Ltd, Shantha Biotech (P) Lid, Dr.

The Pumps and Pipes collaboration and conference brings together energy, medicine, and higher education in a unique shared effort, exploring ideas and research common to these important fields and stimulating discussion and sharing technologies that can further the reach and goals of each individual area. The Proceedings explores the common attributes of oil and gas technology, computational sciences and cardiovascular medicine and probe the areas where there is room to cross-fertilize and develop research and commercial programs.

Simulating for a crisis is far more than creating a simulation of a crisis situation. In order for a simulation to be useful during a crisis, it should be created within the space of a few days to allow decision makers to use it as quickly as possible. Furthermore, during a crisis the aim is not to optimize just one factor, but to balance various, interdependent aspects of life. In the COVID-19 crisis, decisions had to be made concerning e.g. whether to close schools and restaurants, and the (economic) consequences of a 3 or 4-week lock-down had to be considered. As such, rather than one simulation focusing on a very limited aspect, a framework allowing the simulation of several different scenarios focusing on different aspects of the crisis was required. Moreover, the results of the simulations needed to be easily understandable and explainable: if a simulation indicates that closing schools has no effect, this can only be used if the decision makers can explain why this is the case. This book describes how a simulation framework was created for the COVID-19 crisis, and demonstrates how it was used to simulate a wide range of scenarios that were relevant for decision makers at the time. It also discusses the usefulness of the approach, and explains the decisions that had to be made along the way as well as the trade-offs. Lastly, the book examines the lessons learned and the directions for the further development of social simulation frameworks to make them better suited to crisis situations, and to foster a more resilient society.