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Life Science

 

Review Essays of Academic, Professional & Technical Books in the Humanities & Sciences

 

Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature by David S. Goodsell (Wiley-Liss) Biological molecules are themselves the premier, proven examples of the feasibility and utility of nanotechnology–in effect, "lessons from nature" informing the design of nanoscale machines. Bionanotechnology encompasses the study, creation, and illumination of the connections between structural molecular biology and molecular nanotechnology. The very first resource to address this discipline comprehensively and exclusively, Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature delivers an accessible overview that features a stunning set of original watercolor illustrations by the author.

Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature shows both students and practitioners how the lessons that may be learned from biology can be applied to nanotechnology today. Using the natural nanomachines found in living cells and building upon the nanoscale principles of their operation, nanotechnology is a reality today, and is accessible with remarkably modest resources. In this book, I present many of the lessons that may be learned from biology and how they are being applied to nanotechnology. The book is divided into three basic parts. The first part explores the properties of the nanomachines that are available in cells. The second part looks to the structure and function of natural nanomachines for guidance in building nanomachinery. By appraising what is known about biological molecules, we can isolate the general principles of structure and function that are used to construct functional nanomachines. The book finishes with two chapters on applications, surveying some of the exciting applications of bionanotechnology that are currently under study and then looking to the future, speculating about what we might expect.

Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature concludes with chapters on applications, surveying some of the exciting bionanotechnological tools and techniques that are currently in development and speculating on those that may prove feasible in the not-too-distant future. Features of this one-of-a-kind reference text include:

  • High-quality illustrations produced by cutting-edge design programs
  • Discussions of basic structural, nanotechnological, and system engineering principles
  • Numerous real-world examples, such as applications in genetic engineering
  • Numerous examples, such applications in genetic engineering
  • The only available introduction and overview of this interdisciplinary field, merging the physical and biological sciences
  • The authors' concludes with assessment of the future promise of nanotechnology, from molecular "tinkertoys" to nanomedicine.

Undergraduates, graduate students, practicing researchers, and policymakers will find David Goodsell’s Bionanotechnology an accessible, visually compelling introduction to this exciting field. David Goodsell is author of two trade books, Machinery of Life and Our Molecular Nature, and Arthur Olson is the world's leader in molecular graphics and nano-scale representation.