Molecular Biotechnology

Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications of Recombinant DNA

Overview
This textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to the field of molecular biotechnology—particularly the science and applications of recombinant DNA (“rDNA”) technology. It is designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, and for individuals seeking a thorough foundation in how molecular biology, genetic engineering and biotechnology inter-connect.

Key Features

• The text covers fundamentals such as the nature of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, gene cloning and expression, recombinant DNA tools, gene editing and sequencing. 

• It also explores applications of molecular biotechnology: production of recombinant proteins, molecular diagnostics, therapeutic agents (including vaccines and nucleic-acid therapeutics), agricultural and environmental biotechnology (e.g., transgenic plants/animals, bioremediation). 

• The book emphasizes up-to-date techniques, industrial/medical/agrarian applications, and addresses societal/regulatory issues associated with biotechnology. 

• It’s written in a clear, jargon-reduced style and uses extensive figures to aid comprehension of complex biological systems and methods. 

Why it’s useful

• Because biotechnology evolves rapidly, this book is valuable for staying current with key developments in genetic engineering, gene therapeutics, plant/animal biotechnology, and the commercialization of molecular tools.

• It functions not just as a theoretical text, but also connects to real‐world biotechnology workflows and applications, making it useful for those intending to work in research, industry or applied fields.

• For students or professionals entering molecular biology or biotech fields, it provides a structured foundation: from understanding molecular mechanisms, to learning how those mechanisms are manipulated and applied.

Structure in Brief
Although editions vary, typical content includes:

• Part I: Fundamentals of Molecular Biotechnology (history, DNA/RNA/protein synthesis, recombinant DNA tools) 

• Further chapters: gene cloning and expression, production of recombinant proteins, diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, industrial/plant/animal biotechnology, large‐scale production and commercialization, biotechnology in society. 

• End sections: regulatory, patenting, ethical/societal issues in biotech. 

Audience

• Undergraduate or graduate students in biotechnology, molecular biology, genetic engineering or related life sciences.

• Researchers or professionals in biotech / pharmaceutical / agricultural industries who need a broad refresher.

• Instructors looking for a core textbook for courses in biotechnology and recombinant DNA.

• Readers with solid biology background who want to delve into the applied molecular biotech world.

Potential Limitations

• Because the field moves fast, depending on the edition, some of the most recent breakthroughs (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9, next-generation gene editing, synthetic biology advances) may not be covered in full depth if the edition is older.

• The focus is broad, so for highly specialized topics (e.g., single‐cell genomics, advanced synthetic biology, bioinformatics pipelines) you may need complementary texts.