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The seemingly unlimited reach of powerful biotechnologies and the attendant growth of the multibillion-dollar industry have raised difficult questions about the scientific discoveries, political assumptions, and cultural patterns that gave rise to for-profit biological research. Given such extraordinary stakes, a history of the commercial biotechnology industry must inquire far beyond the predictable attention to scientists, discovery, and corporate sales. It must pursue how something so complex as the biotechnology industry was born, poised to become both a vanguard for contemporary world capitalism and a focal point for polemic ethical debate. In Biotech, Eric J. Vettel chronicles the stor...
We normally think of viruses in terms of the devastating diseases they cause, from smallpox to AIDS. But in The Life of a Virus, Angela N. H. Creager introduces us to a plant virus that has taught us much of what we know about all viruses, including the lethal ones, and that also played a crucial role in the development of molecular biology. Focusing on the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) research conducted in Nobel laureate Wendell Stanley's lab, Creager argues that TMV served as a model system for virology and molecular biology, much as the fruit fly and laboratory mouse have for genetics and cancer research. She examines how the experimental techniques and instruments Stanley and his colleagues developed for studying TMV were generalized not just to other labs working on TMV, but also to research on other diseases such as poliomyelitis and influenza and to studies of genes and cell organelles. The great success of research on TMV also helped justify increased spending on biomedical research in the postwar years (partly through the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis's March of Dimes)—a funding priority that has continued to this day.
A fascinating historical account of the American Phage Group and how its new research framework became the foundation for molecular biology This book is the first critical and analytical study of the American Phage Group--a small group of scientists who gathered around Max Delbrück, Salvador Luria, and Alfred Hershey between 1940 and 1960--and how this novel research program became the foundation of the field of molecular biology. These three young, charismatic, and iconoclastic scientists were convinced of the importance of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) to the study of the gene and of heredity in general. Based on substantial archival research, numerous participant interviews collected over the past thirty years, and an intimate knowledge of the relevant scientific literature in the field, William C. Summers has written a fascinating new history of the American Phage Group. Rather than a linear narrative of progress by past heroes, this book emphasizes the diversity and historical contingencies in the group's development.
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The Nobel Prizes m natural sciences have achieved the reputation of being the ultimate accolade for scientific achievements. This honk gives a unique insight into the selection of Nobel Prize recipients, in particular the life sciences. The evolving mechanisms of selection of prize recipients are illustrated by reference to archives, which have remained secret for 1) years. Many of the prizes subjected to particular evaluation concern awards given for discoveries in the field of infectious diseases and the interconnected field of genetics. The book illustrates the individuals and environments that are conducive to scientific creativity. Nowhere is this enigmatic activity'-- the mime mover in advancing the human condition highlighted as lucidly as by identification individuals worthy of Nobel Prizes. --Book Jacket.
This first detailed historical treatment of the electron microscope in biology advances an original philosophical argument on the relation of experimental technology to scientific change.
In this unusual autobiography you will find the full story of a life spanning much of the twentieth century. Selective reading will disclose How a teacher/scientist may develop The importance of focus and integrity The fascination of doing chemical and biochemical research with students and colleagues The excitement of discovery and of facing new challenges Personal details about family life and friendships Career choices and diversions Plus In the 23 (!) appendices, you will find details concerning Other activities attendant upon a career in science The influence of conferences, symposia, and international scientific connections The coworkers who built the reputation of the author
This book is a collection of papers which reflect the recent trends in the philosophy and history of molecular biology. It brings together historians, philosophers, and molecular biologists who reflect on the discipline's emergence in the 1950's, its explosive growth, and the directions in which it is going. Questions addressed include: (i) what are the limits of molecular biology? (ii) What is the relation of molecular biology to older subdisciplines of biology, especially biochemistry? (iii) Are there theories in molecular biology? (iv) If so, how are these theories structured? (v) What role did information theory play in the rise of molecular biology? The book will open the way for many future researchers.
Chronology of Science contains approximately 2,000 cross-referenced entries, ranging from 50 to 150 words each, plus identifiers that categorize the entries into core areas (biology, chemistry, physics, marine science, space and astronomy, Earth science, and weather and climate). Also included are introductory and closing essays in each section, sidebars expanding upon important concepts in each time period, figure legends, appendixes directing the reader to further information on specific topics, a bibliography, and an index. This is a helpful reference tool for students looking for basic information about specific scientific events. The entries inspire the reader to investigate the topic further. After reading sections of the book, the reader will have gained accurate information about scientific history, as well as a sense of how scientific discoveries build upon events of the past, and an understanding of the way scientific theories have changed over time.
Today’s academic environment presents assessment challenges defined by an increased volume of available information coupled with increased competition among students and time constraints. Multiple choice questions (MCQs) provide examiners with an opportunity to assess academic performance on the basis of instant recollection of correct answers in a minimal amount of time. MCQs Series for Life Sciences Volume 1 is a collection of MCQs on advanced topics and offers the following benefits for readers: Includes over 2600 relevant MCQs Covers five advanced subjects including biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics & molecular biology and immunology. Simplified language and presentation of concepts Answers to each question are provided This MCQs eBook series in life sciences is, therefore, a handy reference for graduate and postgraduate students undertaking examinations or entrance tests as well as teachers or examiners involved in setting and controlling assessments in specific subjects in life sciences.