Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications - Glick, B. R., Pasternak, J. J. 2002

Preface

To Marike, with gratitude for being Marika

B. R. G.

To Lily, with gratitude for everything J. J. P.

In the four years since the publication of the first edition of Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications, a tremendous number of discoveries have been made in the field of biotechnology. A multitude of new genetically engineered products, such as Vaccines and therapeutics, have entered the market. The Use of immunological diagnostic Methods and techniques based on the Polymerase Chain Reaction has become standard practice in clinical laboratories. Many genes associated with various human diseases have been discovered and characterized, and The Scope of clinical trials in Gene Therapy has grown exponentially. Detailed genetic and physical maps of Human Chromosomes have been constructed, and for the first time, a viable mammal has been cloned from a differentiated somatic Cell. Furthermore, the commercial production of a transgenic crop, soybeans, has been successfully established.

In the first edition, we described the principles and applications of molecular biotechnology within a broad biological context—in a format that we felt was both engaging and informative. Since then, we have received much valuable feedback from colleagues, graduate students, and undergraduates around the world. While striving to maintain our original approach and simultaneously accommodate the requests of many readers, we have updated, expanded, and substantially revised our book. We hope that we have captured the exciting atmosphere of discovery in molecular biotechnology while clearly outlining its fundamentals, explaining The Significance of modern breakthroughs, and demonstrating how they can be applied to the "production of goods and services." A new chapter has been added covering microorganisms commonly used in molecular biotechnology, and a separate chapter is dedicated to the basics of molecular biology. The chapters on Human Molecular Genetics, gene therapy, and plant biotechnology have been significantly expanded to encompass the very latest advances in these fields. The chapters on diagnostic systems and vaccines have been thoroughly revised. In addition, the number of figures and tables has been increased by approximately 1.5 times, and the glossary has been updated and expanded. We hope these enhancements will facilitate a deeper understanding of experimental approaches and important theoretical concepts. Despite all these changes, we have carefully preserved the accessible, jargon-free, and reader-friendly writing style that made the first edition so popular.

We are deeply grateful to the staff at ASM Press, especially Ken April, Susan Birch, Greg Payne, and Jeff Holtmeier, for their constant help and support, as well as to Susan Schmidler for her superb book design, as always. We owe special thanks to Ken April for his unwavering attention to the manuscript and immense patience in working with us.

Bernard R. Glick Jack J. Pasternak