biology

DNA and Biotechnology introduces reader to the fascinating world of biotechnology and genetics, helping them to understand its impact in daily lives.

Did you know that...?

Dogs played a key role in developing gene therapy treatments for human blindness 

Green algae is a future source of renewable bio fuel 

Scientists found a gene that controls fidelity in mammals 

Law students armed with DNA evidence freed over 100 people for U.S. prisons, many from death row (The Innocence Project) 

In 2009, the first clinical trial using human stems cells to treat spinal cord injuries in humans was cleared by the FDA

Foreword
Most of us at some time or another have enjoyed the relaxing experience of gazing into an aquarium, in a dentist’s waiting room or during a special visit to a public aquarium. In admiring the playfulness of clownfish wriggling amongst the anemones’ tentacles, the grace of angelfish swimming in open water and in our delight at spotting reclusive shrimp and crabs crawling behind iridescent living corals, it is all too easy to overlook the fact that all these wonderful creatures are far from their natural home. The great majority of animals in aquaria across Europe and North America were collected from coral reefs far away and flown, bagged in plastic and packed in styrofoam boxes, thousands of miles to our hospitals and living rooms. 

This clear, heavily-illustrated guide to the human body covers anatomy of cells and tissues, muscle tissue, major muscles of the body, nervous tissue, membranes, organs, cancer, the skin, the human skeleton, the nervous system, glands, the senses, the cardiovascular system, the immune system, the respiratory system, digestion, genitourinary system, the embryo, and more.

An exhaustive review on all things algae would require a multi-volume encyclopedic work. Even then, such a tome would prove to be of limited value, as in addition to being quite complex, it would soon be outdated, as the field of phycology is full of continual revelations and new discoveries.