Plant Tissue Culture forms an integral basis of the present day biotechnology. Plant Tissue Culture: Practices and New Experimental Protocols is being brought out to fill the existing gap in the available literature on plant tissue culture, especially focusing on the aspects of practical procedures and protocols of tissue culture. This book contains important experimental techniques and gives guidance on carrying out hands-on experiments. It has been designed in a simple way, giving all the necessary procedures as a general guideline and also providing necessary tips to manoeuvre any problem encountered. These tips are based on the first-hand experiences of the author while teaching and researching the techniques of plant tissue culture. A unique feature of this book is the inclusion of several techniques describing the actual protocols experimented and developed with different plant species by different scientists. A substantial number of colour images, including fluorescence photographs, are a highlight of the book. This pioneering work is valuable for the students who are looking for a fresh outlook on the topic.

How tiny variations in our personal DNA can determine how we look, how we behave, how we get sick, and how we get well. News stories report almost daily on the remarkable progress scientists are making in unraveling the genetic basis of disease and behavior. Meanwhile, new technologies are rapidly reducing the cost of reading someone's personal DNA (all six billion letters of it). Within the next ten years, hospitals may present parents with their newborn's complete DNA code along with her footprints and APGAR score. In Genetic Twists of Fate, distinguished geneticists Stanley Fields and Mark Johnston help us make sense of the genetic revolution that is upon us. Fields and Johnston tell real life stories that hinge on the inheritance of one tiny change rather than another in an individual's DNA: a mother wrongly accused of poisoning her young son when the true killer was a genetic disorder; the screen siren who could no longer remember her lines because of Alzheimer's disease; and the president who was treated with rat poison to prevent another heart attack. In an engaging and accessible style, Fields and Johnston explain what our personal DNA code is, how a few differences in its long list of DNA letters makes each of us unique, and how that code influences our appearance, our behavior, and our risk for such common diseases as diabetes or cancer.

"Recombinant DNA Techniques: A Textbook" has all the techniques used in the Genetic Engineering like the PCR, Microarray, transfection techniques, Blotting techniques, DNA sequencing, site directed Mutagenesis and protein engineering. It also includes various aspects of the gene therapy. It also have the good description of the mapping techniques along with the various molecular markers used in the mapping of the genomes like RFLP, RAPD, AFLP etc. DNA chip technology is the most important techniques used for the study of the gene expression and it is the only technique that can analyze the multiple genes at a time. This techniques is very well explained in the book. DNA sequencing by Sanger's Method and maxam and Gilbert's method is also explained by the help of good diagrams. These are the important topics covered in this book.

Plant molecular biology came to the fore in the early 1980s and there has been tremendous growth in the subject since then. The study of plant genes and genomes and the development of techniques for the incorporation of novel or modified genes into plants eventually led to the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) crops in the mid-1990s. This was seen as the start of a biotechnological revolution in plant breeding. However, plant biotechnology has become one of the hottest debates of the age and, in Europe at least, one of the greatest challenges that plant scientists have ever faced.This book covers the history and development of the science and techniques that underpin plant biotechnology. It describes the GM crops that are or have been grown commercially around the world, including failures as well as successes, and the new varieties that are being developed. The safety record of GM crops is reviewed together with the legislation that has been adopted to cover their use. The book also deals with the concerns of consumers, the GM crop debate and the prospects for the technology. In the second edition, sections on current GM crops and future developments in plant biotechnology have been greatly expanded, while those on techniques, legislation and the GM crop debate have also been updated.The book is a concise, comprehensive and readable study that is accessible to a general readership with a scientific background but also provides useful information for the specialist.

In 2001 the Human Genome Project announced that it had successfully mapped the entire genetic content of human DNA. Scientists, politicians, theologians, and pundits speculated about what would follow, conjuring everything from nightmare scenarios of state-controlled eugenics to the hope of engineering disease-resistant newborns. As with debates surrounding stem-cell research, the seemingly endless possibilities of genetic engineering will continue to influence public opinion and policy into the foreseeable future.

Beyond Biotechnology: The Barren Promise of Genetic Engineering distinguishes between the hype and reality of this technology and explains the nuanced and delicate relationship between science and nature. Authors Craig Holdrege and Steve Talbott evaluate the current state of genetic science and examine its potential applications, particularly in agriculture and medicine, as well as the possible dangers. The authors show how the popular view of genetics does not include an understanding of the ways in which genes actually work together in organisms.

Simplistic and reductionist views of genes lead to unrealistic expectations and, ultimately, disappointment in the results that genetic engineering actually delivers. The authors explore new developments in genetics, from the discovery of "non-Darwinian" adaptative mutations in bacteria to evidence that suggests that organisms are far more than mere collections of genetically driven mechanisms. While examining these issues, the authors also answer vital questions that get to the essence of genetic interaction with human biology: Does DNA "manage" an organism any more than the organism manages its DNA? Should genetically engineered products be labeled as such? Do the methods of the genetic engineer resemble the centuries-old practices of animal husbandry?

Written for lay readers, Beyond Biotechnology is an accessible introduction to the complicated issues of genetic engineering and its potential applications. In the unexplored space between nature and laboratory, a new science is waiting to emerge. Technology-based social and environmental solutions will remain tenuous and at risk of reversal as long as our culture is alienated from the plants and animals on which all life depends.

Recent advances in techniques and understanding in the fields of genetics, embryology and reproductive biology have opened up new ways to treat a wide range of medical problems. They range from new options for infertility treatment and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to stem-cell-based therapies for debilitating diseases. Since all these approaches involve the manipulation of human gametes, embryos or embryonic cells, and could also permit more contentious uses, they have stimulated a controversial debate as to what aims are desirable and to what extent experiments on human embryos are morally permissible, if permissible at all. The situation is further complicated by the fact that scientific projects are increasingly realized through international co-operation and that patients are increasingly ready to seek morally contentious medical treatment wherever it is available and thus to bypass national legislation. In view of this situation the Europaische Akademie assembled a temporary interdisciplinary project group in which scientists from universities and non-university research organizations in Europe working on the relevant subjects were brought together and charged with establishing a knowledge base and providing suggestions for long-term solutions that would be acceptable for society. Presented here are the results of this project, ranging from a discussion of the theoretical and practical possibilities in human-embryo experimentation and its alternatives in research on adult stem cells, a comparison of the situations and prospects of regulation of embryo research in Europe, a survey of European public attitudes, and a philosophical analysis of the arguments and argumentative strategies used in the debate."

Umbilical cord blood, previously discarded after birth, has emerged over recent years as an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for hematological reconstitution, mainly for leukemia patients, as well as for some hematological deficiencies and bone marrow failures. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that cord blood, as well as the surrounding tissue of the umbilical cord, contain additional stem cells which have been shown to be of great potential for regenerative medicine. Importantly, cord blood is abundant, it can be banked and shipped with ease, and thus has an indisputable potential for future medicines and regenerative therapies. Driven by a massive interest for regenerative medicine and alternative yet ethically acceptable stem cell sources, the scientific literature on umbilical cord and cord blood stem cells has increased tremendously. This book provides a consolidated, up-to-date overview of basic research on hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells contained within umbilical cord tissue, as well as other more recently described stem and precursor cells of not yet fully elucidated potential. It also takes an in-depth look at basic and translational research efforts with stem cells from the umbilical cord in academic institutions and biotech companies. Suitable for use as a primer and reference book by medical fellows and researchers entering the research fields of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, it can also be used by students (undergraduate and graduate) as a starting point for read-up on the literature on stem cells and their potential and applications, or as a teaching tool in graduate schools for biologists, particularly for students wanting to enter the emerging field of stem cell biology.

Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for humans and their children. Sustainable agriculture is a discipline that addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, poor-nation starvation, rich-nation obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control, and biodiversity depletion. Novel, environmentally-friendly solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from sciences as diverse as agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, and social sciences. Indeed, sustainable agriculture decipher mechanisms of processes that occur from the molecular level to the farming system to the global level at time scales ranging from seconds to centuries. For that, scientists use the system approach that involves studying components and interactions of a whole system to address scientific, economic and social issues. In that respect, sustainable agriculture is not a classical, narrow science. Instead of solving problems using the classical painkiller approach that treats only negative impacts, sustainable agriculture treats problem sources. Because most actual society issues are now intertwined, global, and fast-developing, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series gathers review articles that analyze current agricultural issues and knowledge, then propose alternative solutions. It will therefore help all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians who wish to build a safe agriculture, energy and food system for future generations.

The main objective of this consultation was to review the scientific basis and procedures to establish effective post-release monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crops and develop guidelines to strengthen the capacities of member countries to design and carry out monitoring programmes. The major outputs of the meeting were: a review of scientific criteria and procedures that address the technical aspects of monitoring environmental effects of GM crops; two strategies that could be used as the basis for efficient monitoring programmes; and recommendations for scientists managing the monitoring process, policy and decision-makers, FAO and other relevant international agencies.

"Leonardo's Choice: Genetic Technologies and Animals" is an edited collection of twelve essays and one dialogue focusing on the profound affect the use of animals in biotechnology is having on both humans and other species. Communicating crucial understandings of the integrated nature of the human and non-human world, these essays, unlike the majority of discussions of biotechnology, take seriously the impact of these technologies on animals themselves. This collection's central questions revolve around the disassociation Western ideas of creative freedom have from the impacts those ideas and practices have on the non-human world.

"This transdisciplinary collection includes perspectives from the disciplines of philosophy, cultural theory, art and literary theory, history and theory of science, environmental studies, law, landscape architecture, history, and geography. Included authors span three continents and four countries."

"Included essays contribute significantly to a growing scholarship surrounding "the question of the animal" emanating from philosophical, cultural and activist discourses. Its authors are at the forefront of the growing number of theorists and practitioners across the disciplines concerned with the impact of new technologies on the more-than-human world."

Mammalian cell lines command an effective monopoly for the production of therapeutic proteins that require post-translational modifications. This unique advantage outweighs the costs associated with mammalian cell culture, which are far grater in terms of development time and manufacturing when compared to microbial culture. The development of cell lines has undergone several advances over the years, essentially to meet the requirement to cut the time and costs associated with using such a complex hosts as production platforms.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the methodology involved in the development of cell lines and the cell engineering approach that can be employed to enhance productivity, improve cell function, glycosylation and secretion and control apoptosis. It presents an overall picture of the current topics central to expression engineering including such topics as epigenetics and the use of technologies to overcome positional dependent inactivation, the use of promoter and enhancer sequences for expression of various transgenes, site directed engineering of defined chromosomal sites, and examination of the role of eukaryotic nucleus as the controller of expression of genes that are introduced for production of a desired product. It includes a review of selection methods for high producers and an application developed by a major biopharmaceutical industry to expedite the cell line development process. The potential of cell engineering approch to enhance cell lines through the manipulation of single genes that play important roles in key metabolic and regulatory pathways is also explored throughout.

From "ABO blood group" to "zygotic-effect genes", this reference provides 2000 concise definitions in the fields of biotechnology and genetic engineering. Designed to provide a basic vocabulary, it should allow those with an elementary knowledge to keep abreast of developments in the fields. Since the "Dictionary" addresses a broad audience from diverse backgrounds and covers a wide field, the authors have attempted to include both basic and technical terminology in a number of areas including plant and animal biology, to meet the needs of as many readers as possible.

From viruses to humans, each organism on earth is made up of genes that provide a blueprint to how that organism functions. As technology and science have progressed, so too have the depth and extent of biotechnology and genetic engineering. The use of biotechnology and genetic engineering has implications on all aspects of life - from the foods people eat to the way diseases are treated. As scientists and researchers discover more about this emerging field, moral concerns become a heated topic for people who question just how far this technology should reach.""Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Third Edition"" provides an overview of the history of this topic and the opinions surrounding it, ranging from the study of fermentation by French chemist Louis Pasteur in the 1850s to the nascent field of synthetic biology. Contemporary case studies such as United States v. Kincade provide multiple perspectives and decisions surrounding this issue while also plotting a course for future debate. A comprehensive and up-to-date overview essay, capsule biographies, a large annotated bibliography, a chronology of significant events, organization and agency listings, and a glossary also provide invaluable information for students, teachers, librarians, scientists, medical personnel, and general readers to explore the controversy surrounding biotechnology and genetic engineering.Coverage includes: whether or not genetically modified food impacts the environment and health; how biotechnology has transformed the pharmaceutical industry; the legal implications of genetic testing; and, more.

This book demonstrates that American agricultural development was far more dynamic than generally portrayed. In the two centuries before World War II, a stream of biological innovations revolutionized the crop and livestock sectors, increasing both land and labor productivity. Biological innovations were essential for the movement of agriculture onto new lands with more extreme climates, for maintaining production in the face of evolving threats from pests, and for the creation of the modern livestock sector. These innovations established the foundation for the subsequent Green and Genetic Revolutions. The book challenges the misconceptions that, before the advent of hybrid corn, American farmers single-mindedly invested in labor-saving mechanical technologies and that biological technologies were static.

This book demonstrates that American agricultural development was far more dynamic than generally portrayed. In the two centuries before World War II, a stream of biological innovations revolutionized the crop and livestock sectors, increasing both land and labor productivity. Biological innovations were essential for the movement of agriculture onto new lands with more extreme climates, for maintaining production in the face of evolving threats from pests, and for the creation of the modern livestock sector. These innovations established the foundation for the subsequent Green and Genetic Revolutions. The book challenges the misconceptions that, before the advent of hybrid corn, American farmers single-mindedly invested in labor-saving mechanical technologies and that biological technologies were static.

With ever-advancing scientific understanding and technological capabilities, humanity stands on the brink of the potential next stage of evolution: evolution engineered by us. Nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science offer the possibility to enhance human performance, lengthen life-span and reshape our inherited physical, cognitive and emotional identities. But with this promise come huge risks, complex choices and fundamental ethical questions: about evolution; about what it is to be human; and about control over, and the distribution of benefits from, new technology. Written by a range of experts in science, technology, bioethics and social science, Unnatural Selection examines the range of technological innovations offering lives that purport to be longer, stronger, smarter and happier, and asks whether their introduction is likely to lead to more fulfilled individuals and a fairer world. The breadth of approaches and perspectives make important reading for anyone who cares about the implications of humanity engineering its own evolution.

This book demonstrates how the Thalidomide catastrophe of the 1960s and the BSE crisis of the 1990s led to regulatory regimes for pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs in Europe. However, the developmental paths of these regimes differ - and so does the efficiency and legitimacy of regulatory policy-making.

The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than fifty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with over 400 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences. This new volume presents methods related to the use of bacterial genetics for genomic engineering. The book includes sections on strain collections and genetic nomenclature; transposons; and phage.

This book has a distinguishing feature of having condensed material with adequate information on genetic engineering especially of the microbes. The book covers almost all the topics of genetic engineering for the graduate, postgraduate students and young research scholars of biological sciences. The book is written as per syllabus of genetic engineering paper for Masters course in biotechnology, biochemistry, life sciences of most of the universities. The book is much useful for the students of Masters degree. Emphasis is given on the basic fundamentals. The book contains twelve chapters starting from ' Isolation, purification and estimation of nucleic acids' as chapter 1. The chapter describes general techniques for the isolation and purification of DNA as well as RNA. It also describes methods for quantitative estimation of the nucleic acids. The second chapter describes general characteristics of the vectors used in genetic engineering and also the general account of commonly used individual vectors. The chapter also describes expression vectors. The third chapter describes various commonly used restriction endonucleases. The fourth chapter describes commonly used enzymes in genetic engineering viz. Reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase I, polynucleotide kinase, teminal dcoxynucleotidyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, SI nuclease, DNA ligase etc. The fifth chapter describes electrophoresis for the separation of nucleic acids fragments. The sixth chapter is of cloning strategies. It describes construction of genomic DNA library , chromosomal walking, cDNA library, cDNA cloning. The seventh chapter describes DNA sequencing techniques and includes chemical modification method of Maxam and Gilbert, dideoxy sequencing method of Sanger, modifications of chain terminator sequencing, analysis of the sequencing data. The eighth chapter includes various methods of site directed mutagenesis. The ninth chapter describes polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It also includes primer designing and various types of polymerase chain reactions viz. reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), nested PCR, multiplex PCR etc. Besides, there are chapters 10, 11 and 12 on gene therapy, human genome and proteomics. At the end, glossary has been put which explains main terms used in genetic engineering. One of the important factor introduced in the book is the chapter structure given in the beginning of each chapter that provides, at a glance, the contents of the whole chapter which offers a better learning mechanism. Each chapter is also presented with an introduction that covers the concept of the whole chapter in brief and offers clear understanding of the subject matter to the students. The author on the basis of his experience in teaching genetic engineering at the university level for more than a decade has offered the text in an easily understandable form to the postgraduate students. The book should be of invaluable help to the students, researchers and all those interested in understanding genetic engineering.

Technologies of the life sciences offer tremendous possibilities, but also numerous challenges. Crossing Over looks at the social and ethical issues around the new biology, particularly genomics and biotechnology. It examines the world of biotechnology from different perspectives, including economics, law, communications, the sciences, and bioethics. The contributors to this volume respond to questions such as: How will we ensure technologies adopted in genomics research are not just economically beneficial but also socially and environmentally sustainable? What is the impact of the media on the development of these technologies? What are the ethical implications? What governance arrangements are appropriate? How are citizens and consumers expected to participate? Crossing Over's interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of biotechnology in society will ultimately contribute to our overall understanding of this hot-button issue, and will help us make better-informed choices for the future.

The process of discovery in science and technology may require investigation of a large number of features, such as factors, genes or molecules. In Screening, designed experiments and statistical analyses of the resulting data sets are used to identify efficiently the few features that determine key properties of the system under study.

This book brings together accounts by leading international experts that are essential reading for those working in fields such as industrial quality improvement, engineering research and development, genetic and medical screening, drug discovery, and computer simulation of manufacturing systems or economic models. Our aim is to promote cross-fertilization of ideas and methods through detailed explanations, a variety of examples and extensive references.

Topics cover both physical and computer simulated experiments. They include screening methods for detecting factors that affect the value of a response or its variability, and for choosing between various different response models. Screening for disease in blood samples, for genes linked to a disease and for new compounds in the search for effective drugs are also described. Statistical techniques include Bayesian and frequentist methods of data analysis, algorithmic methods for both the design and analysis of experiments, and the construction of fractional factorial designs and orthogonal arrays.

The material is accessible to graduate and research statisticians, and to engineers and chemists with a working knowledge of statistical ideas and techniques. It will be of interest to practitioners and researchers who wish to learn about useful methodologies from within their own areaas well as methodologies that can be translated from one area to another.

Jobst Conrad prasentiert die Ergebnisse einer sozialwissenschaftlichen Begleitstudie, die den Prozess und die Chancen der Umsetzung des InnoRegio-Programms des BMBF in der Praxis untersucht. Daruber hinaus gibt er einen Uberblick uber Innovations- und Netzwerkkonzepte, Innovationsdynamik und Technologiepolitik sowie uber Geschichte und Entwicklungstrends der Biotechnologie, Biotechnologiepolitik und Gentechnikdiskurs.

Potato is the most significant non-cereal crop. Much attention has been paid to this commercially important crop. The aim of this volume is to capture the recent advances made in improving potatoes using traditional breeding methods as well as genetic engineering technology. The book provides a critical appraisal of the state-of-the-art finding on this crop.

What will our lives be like fifty years from now? What will we know about ourselves as humans, and how will that affect our lives? It's impossible to know the future for certain, but one thing we do know--perhaps nothing will alter our future more than the Genetics Revolution of the past thirty-five years. This book clarifies the history and examines the possible impact of five major areas of genetic research:

• The Human Genome Project and genetic engineering
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) and the technology of reproduction
• The Human Genome Diversity Project, which is studying the variation of the human genome
• Embryonic stem-cell research
• Cloning

All of these areas of research produce two reactions among the general public--hope for the improvement of people's lives, and fear of science out of control. The Genetics Revolution examines the scientific, social, and political impacts of the genetics on everyday life--in the past, in the present, and in the future. Each specific topic is contained within its own chapter for ease in accessing specific information. This is an ideal resource for students, teachers, and others preparing research papers. In addition, it integrates science and social science topics in a way that supports topics in the school curricula. The book contains documented, current information that both supports and challenges current thinking about genetics.

While European restaurants race to footnote menus, reassuring concerned gourmands that no genetically modified ingredients were used in the preparation of their food, starving populations around the world eagerly await the next harvest of scientifically improved crops. Mendel in the Kitchen provides a clear and balanced picture of this tangled, tricky (and very timely) topic. Any farmer you talk to could tell you that we've been playing with the genetic makeup of our food for millennia, carefully coaxing nature to do our bidding. The practice officially dates back to Gregor Mendel-who was not a renowned scientist, but a 19th century Augustinian monk. Mendel spent many hours toiling in his garden, testing and cultivating more than 28,000 pea plants, selectively determining very specific characteristics of the peas that were produced, ultimately giving birth to the idea of heredity-and the now very common practice of artificially modifying our food. But as science takes the helm, steering common field practices into the laboratory, the world is now keenly aware of how adept we have become at tinkering with nature-which in turn has produced a variety of questions. Are genetically modified foods really safe? Will the foods ultimately make us sick, perhaps in ways we can't even imagine? Isn't it genuinely dangerous to change the nature of nature itself? Nina Fedoroff, a leading geneticist and recognized expert in biotechnology, answers these questions, and more. Addressing the fear and mistrust that is rapidly spreading, Federoff and her co-author, science writer Nancy Brown, weave a narrative rich in history, technology, and science to dispel myths and misunderstandings. In the end, Fedoroff arues, plant biotechnology can help us to become better stewards of the earth while permitting us to feed ourselves and generations of children to come. Indeed, this new approach to agriculture holds the promise of being the most environmentally conservative way to increase our food supply. Table of Contents Front Matter 1 Against the Ways of Nature 2 The Wild and the Sown 3 The Power in the Earth 4 Genes and Species 5 Tinkering with Evolution 6 Making a Chimera 7 The Product or the Process 8 Is It Safe to Eat? 9 Poisoned Rats or Poisoned Wells 10 The Butterfly and the Corn Borer 11 Pollen Has Always Flown 12 The Organic Rule 13 Sustaining Agriculture 14 Sharing the Fruits 15 Food for Thought Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index