Fundamentals Of Biology

In the new edition of this highly successful book, Malcolm Hunter and new co-author James Gibbs offer a thorough introduction to the fascinating and important field of conservation biology, focusing on what can be done to maintain biodiversity through management of ecosystems and populations. Starting with a succinct look at conservation and biodiversity, this book progresses to contend with some of the subject's most complex topics, such as mass extinctions, ecosystem degradation, and over exploitation. Discusses social, political, and economic aspects of conservation biology. Thoroughly revised with over six hundred new references and web links to many of the organizations involved in conservation biology, striking photographs and maps. Artwork from the book is available to instructors online at www.blackwellpublishing.com/hunter and by request on CD-ROM.

Fundamentals of Molecular Structural Biology reviews the mathematical and physical foundations of molecular structural biology. Based on these fundamental concepts, it then describes molecular structure and explains basic genetic mechanisms. Given the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research, early career researchers and those shifting into an adjacent field often require a "fundamentals" book to get them up-to-speed on the foundations of a particular field. This book fills that niche. Provides a current and easily digestible resource on molecular structural biology, discussing both foundations and the latest advances Addresses critical issues surrounding macromolecular structures, such as structure-based drug discovery, single-particle analysis, computational molecular biology/molecular dynamic simulation, cell signaling and immune response, macromolecular assemblies, and systems biology Presents discussions that ultimately lead the reader toward a more detailed understanding of the basis and origin of disease

For decades biology has focused on decoding cellular processes one gene at a time, but many of the most pressing biological questions, as well as diseases such as cancer and heart disease, are related to complex systems involving the interaction of hundreds, or even thousands, of gene products and other factors. How do we begin to understand this complexity? Fundamentals of Systems Biology: From Synthetic Circuits to Whole-cell Models introduces students to methods they can use to tackle complex systems head-on, carefully walking them through studies that comprise the foundation and frontier of systems biology. The first section of the book focuses on bringing students quickly up to speed with a variety of modeling methods in the context of a synthetic biological circuit. This innovative approach builds intuition about the strengths and weaknesses of each method and becomes critical in the book’s second half, where much more complicated network models are addressed—including transcriptional, signaling, metabolic, and even integrated multi-network models. The approach makes the work much more accessible to novices (undergraduates, medical students, and biologists new to mathematical modeling) while still having much to offer experienced modelers--whether their interests are microbes, organs, whole organisms, diseases, synthetic biology, or just about any field that investigates living systems.

The Fundamentals of Biology is a study guide geared towards late middle and early high school students hoping to learn more about the world around us. Whether it be used for test preparation or for satisfying one's curiosity, this book will provide an outline of how life functions. Starting at the molecular level, The Fundamentals of Biology will explain concisely how seemingly minuscule things can have a massive impact on a larger scale. Each unit of this book will have several topics within them, organized in a way to help the reader understand connections between concepts. The seven major ideas covered are as follows: Chemistry- In order to see what makes life tick, the reader will learn the essential molecules their interactions; The Cell- As the basic building block of life, their complex structure and functions will be explained; Cell Processes- This includes the basics of photosynthesis, cell respiration, as well as cell division; Heredity and Genetics- How information is passed from one generation to another is detailed in this topic; Body Systems- The wide array of human body systems are covered here, from the skeletal to the endocrine; Taxonomy- All living things are organized into groups based on similar traits and are outlined in this book; Evolution and Ecology- This topic covers how species change over time and their interactions with the environment. Scattered around the book are helpful tips to assist in the memorization of concepts, small pieces of information that are interesting and provides context, as well as suggestions on what the reader can do to experience certain concepts. In addition, pictures and diagrams are embedded within the book to give a visual perspective on specific ideas, and at the end of each topic is a vocabulary list to aid in the learning process.

This well-structured textbook offers essential knowledge on the vascular system. The reader will learn the properties, basic cellular mechanisms and development of the different parts of the vascular system (including the heart), gain knowledge on vascular and related diseases, and will be made familiar with common and most current methods and techniques applied to analyze the vascular system in patients, in animal models, and ex vivo. This book is based on a PhD Course for students from various bioscientific backgrounds given at the Medical University of Vienna, and it will be a valuable resource for Master ́s Students in vascular biology and biomedicine in general and a helpful tool for young researchers world-wide wishing to gain or refresh their knowledge in this field.

Fundamentals of Human Biology and Health gives students a solid understanding of how human cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and whole organisms operate. Designed to be used on its own or as a supplement to other texts, the material includes clear, concise information covering the main physiological systems in the human body, their interconnections, and what individuals can do to maintain healthy bodies and lifestyles. The text explores how and why we study biology, and where human beings fit into the amazing diversity of life. There is also coverage of basic chemistry as it relates to the study of biology. After a tour of the typical human cell, the text provides information on different tissues and organ systems. This includes relevant disorders, diseases, drugs, nutrition, and various health issues. Subsequent material addresses genetics, evolution, ecology, and conservation. Fundamentals of Human Biology and Health provides basic information in an accessible way. This text can be used in any introductory general or human biology course. The accessible language is appropriate for both high school and college level students. It can also be used in courses on anatomy and physiology.

This book examines the effects of spaceflight at cellular and organism levels. Research on the effects of gravity - or its absence - and ionizing radiation on the evolution, development, and function of living organisms is presented in layman's terms. The book describes the benefits of space biology for basic and applied research to support human space exploration and the advantages of space as a laboratory for scientific, technological, and commercial research.

A comprehensive presentation of essential topics for biological engineers, focusing on the development and application of dynamic models of biomolecular and cellular phenomena. This book describes the fundamental molecular and cellular events responsible for biological function, develops models to study biomolecular and cellular phenomena, and shows, with examples, how models are applied in the design and interpretation of experiments on biological systems. Integrating molecular cell biology with quantitative engineering analysis and design, it is the first textbook to offer a comprehensive presentation of these essential topics for chemical and biological engineering. The book systematically develops the concepts necessary to understand and study complex biological phenomena, moving from the simplest elements at the smallest scale and progressively adding complexity at the cellular organizational level, focusing on experimental testing of mechanistic hypotheses. After introducing the motivations for formulation of mathematical rate process models in biology, the text goes on to cover such topics as noncovalent binding interactions; quantitative descriptions of the transient, steady state, and equilibrium interactions of proteins and their ligands; enzyme kinetics; gene expression and protein trafficking; network dynamics; quantitative descriptions of growth dynamics; coupled transport and reaction; and discrete stochastic processes. The textbook is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in chemical engineering and bioengineering, and has been developed by the authors for classes they teach at MIT and the University of Minnesota.