Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Recent developments in molecular biology, particularly in the field of genetic engineering, have resulted in the ability to manipulate organisms to produce large quantities of products previously only obtainable by expensive and difficult routes. The term "biotechnology" is a new one, but biological processes have long been used in the manufacture of products, ranging from alcohol fermentation to antibiotics. This work includes topics such as fermentation technology, enzyme technology and downstream processing, as well as the methodology of genetic engineering and those aspects of it which are relevant to industrial processes. Many of the chapters in this book relate directly to applications of the new technology, including discussions on its impact on medical care, the pharmaceutical industry, the production of chemicals and the food industry. The field of biosensors is reviewed, as is the development of enzyme engineering with its promise of new protein products.
This book is based on a series of courses organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry and held at Hatfield Polytechnic in July 1985 and July 1987 and is aimed at undergraduates studying for biological and chemical qualifications and scientific workers from other fields who need an introduction to biotechnology.