Basic Biotechnology - Second Edition

Colin Ratledge (Editor), Bjorn Kristiansen (Editor)

List Price:  $48.00

Paperback: 584 pages

Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition (May 15, 2001)

ISBN: 0521779170

This is my current favorite book to use as a reference, although parts of it may not be written at the appropriate level.  It contains the background on the science of biotechnology as well as chapters on business topics.  JdK

Biopharmaceuticals: Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Gary Walsh (Author)

List Price:  $50.00

Paperback: 551 pages

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 2nd edition (September 2003)

ISBN: 0470843276

This is the book that served as the text for Solano College’s biotechnology lecture course.  The main useful chapters are Chapter 2 (The drug development process) and Chapter 3 (The drug-manufacturing process), which are excellent.  It is weak on upstream processes like fermentation and cell culture.  Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 combine for 82 pages, which is like a small book, but the rest of the book covers particular proteins and protein classes so it is less useful for a general course (although it makes a useful reference.)  Between these two Chapters, the book covers the basics of cell culture, cell banks, protein recovery and purification, formulation, filling and lyophilization, clean rooms, QC analysis and the equipment that performs it, pyrogen detection, protein degradation pathways, regulation by the FDA and international regulatory agencies, good manufacturing practice, pharmacopoeias, and the cleaning and sterilization of equipment.   It contains many photographs of large-scale fermentation and recovery equipment.  It begins with a discussion of the production of traditional pharmaceuticals and later includes protein pharmaceuticals; this provides an interesting contrast between Big Pharma and biotech companies.  JdK

Molecular Biotechnology -  Second Edition

S. B. Primrose

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: Blackwell Science Inc; 2nd edition

ASIN: 0632030534

Molecular Biotechnology is written using clear language and written at the appropriate level, although parts of it will probably (appropriately) challenge lower division students.  This book covers the history of the field well, covers recombinant DNA well, and has an excellent section on cell culture and fermentation, and on the production of monoclonal antibodies.  It has major holes - especially in recovery and downstream processes - which it basically ignores.  Jim tried to use this as a text in 1998, but the publisher couldn’t supply it in sufficient numbers.  It’s beginning to be difficult to find. JdK

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
D. J. A. Crommelin (Editor), Daan J.A. Crommelin, Robert D. Sindelar (Editor)

List Price:  $48.00

Paperback: 600 pages

Publisher: Taylor & Francis; 2nd edition (December 2002)

ISBN: 0415285011

In-Print Editions: Hardcover (2nd) | All Editions

The authors wrote this excellent book to inform pharmacists and other members of that industry about the drugs that are produced by the biotechnology field.  Solano College tried to use this as their text during Fall semester 2002, but the publisher informed us that it had gone out of print.   This book has Chapters on protein structure and general biochemistry, on fermentation and cell culture, on downstream protein purification processes, on formulation (a subject difficult to find materials), and on drug delivery and pharmacokinetics (again, these are areas where it is difficult to find references.)  Its last Chapters cover specific pharmaceutical proteins like insulin, hematopoietic growth factors, deoxyribonuclease, tissue plasminogen activator, growth hormone, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines.  It also has a Chapter on professional education.   Again, it is formally listed as out of print.  It is available in small numbers, and I thought that it might be suitable as a text, but ultimately decided against it.    JdK

Proteins: Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Gary Walsh

List Price:  $75.00

Paperback: 425 pages

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 2nd edition (January 2002)

ISBN: 0471899070

Other Editions: Hardcover (2nd) | All Editions

This new book covers basic protein structure, the production of proteins, protein purification, protein stability, and the production and biological action of specific protein classes.  JdK

Protein Biotechnology
Gary Walsh, Denis R. Headon, Dennis Headon

Paperback: 382 pages

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (May 24, 1994)

ISBN: 0471943932

Other Editions: Hardcover | All Editions

Jim used this book in the past as the text for his biotech courses, and this is the book that Genentech used as the text for their in-house training course in 1996 and 1997.  Sonia Wallman, who has an excellent biotech program at New Hampshire Technical College used this book also.  This book is written at the appropriate level for freshman/sophomore/reentry students and it covers many issues in process science and manufacturing.  It has an excellent discussion of recovery and downstream processes, but is weak on the upstream topics.   It also has a European bias, that is, it emphasizes regulation of the industry by the European Union rather than by the FDA - this makes it less useful for an American program. JdK

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology: Fundamentals & Essentials
Melvin E. Klegerman

Hardcover: 295 pages

Publisher: Interpharm Press; (November 1992)

ASIN: 0935184376

This is an excellent reference book that emphasizes the topics important for manufacturing; it covers exactly the right topics.  It is written for researchers in the field, so the level is inappropriately challenging for a lower division college student.  The multiple authors means that it also suffers from an uneven writing style.  Also, it’s very expensive.  Jim uses it extensively as a reference to prepare lectures. JdK

Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications of Recombinant DNA

Bernard R. Glick, Jack J. Pasternak

Paperback: 708 pages

Publisher: Amer Society for Microbiology; 2nd edition (March 2003)

ISBN: 1555811361

In-Print Editions: Hardcover (3rd) | All Editions

This book is well written, but the level may prove challenging for lower division students.  Their inclusion of the discussion of key historic papers from the scientific literature adds an interesting and important component.  It has very good sections on fermentation and cell culture, a section on government regulation of the industry, and a section on patents.  It does explore the business end of biotechnology some.  JdK

Biotechnology: A Textbook of Industrial Microbiology

Wulf Crueger, Anneliese Crueger, Thomas D. Brock (Translator)

Out of print

Paperback: 357 pages

Publisher: Sinauer Associates Incorporated; (May 1990)

ASIN: 087893135X

Karen McDonald of UC Davis has used this book in the past as a text for her fermentation science course.  Jim uses it as a reference.   It is hard to find. JdK

Protein Purification: Principles and Practice
Robert K. Scopes, Rk Scopes

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Springer Verlag; 3rd edition (March 1996)

ISBN: 0387940723 | All Editions

William Ward of Rutgers University who runs an excellent summer workshop on Green Fluorescent protein recommended this book; it is very good.  Jim uses it as a reference for the theory behind protein separation techniques.  It covers the principles behind protein precipitation, centrifugation, electrophoresis, and many types of chromatography.  It has a section on scale up and a final chapter on the optimization of the process.  It contains many useful graphs and diagrams.      JdK

Introduction to Molecular Biology

By Peter Paolella

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 1st edition (August 1, 1997)

ISBN: 0697209393

Basic Molecular Biology: Essential Techniques 

by Philippa D. Darbre

Spiral-bound: 194 pages

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1st edition (February 15, 1999)

ISBN: 0471977055

Biotechnology: A Guide To Genetic Engineering
by Pamela Peters

Paperback: 272 pages

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; (March 12, 1992)

ASIN: 0697120635