%0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %T Biological Collections: Ensuring Critical Research and Education for the 21st Century %@ 978-0-309-49853-1 %D 2020 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25592/biological-collections-ensuring-critical-research-and-education-for-the-21st %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25592/biological-collections-ensuring-critical-research-and-education-for-the-21st %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 244 %X Biological collections are a critical part of the nation's science and innovation infrastructure and a fundamental resource for understanding the natural world. Biological collections underpin basic science discoveries as well as deepen our understanding of many challenges such as global change, biodiversity loss, sustainable food production, ecosystem conservation, and improving human health and security. They are important resources for education, both in formal training for the science and technology workforce, and in informal learning through schools, citizen science programs, and adult learning. However, the sustainability of biological collections is under threat. Without enhanced strategic leadership and investments in their infrastructure and growth many biological collections could be lost. Biological Collections: Ensuring Critical Research and Education for the 21st Century recommends approaches for biological collections to develop long-term financial sustainability, advance digitization, recruit and support a diverse workforce, and upgrade and maintain a robust physical infrastructure in order to continue serving science and society. The aim of the report is to stimulate a national discussion regarding the goals and strategies needed to ensure that U.S. biological collections not only thrive but continue to grow throughout the 21st century and beyond. %0 Book %A National Research Council %E Wooley, John C. %E Lin, Herbert S. %T Catalyzing Inquiry at the Interface of Computing and Biology %@ 978-0-309-09612-6 %D 2005 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11480/catalyzing-inquiry-at-the-interface-of-computing-and-biology %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11480/catalyzing-inquiry-at-the-interface-of-computing-and-biology %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Computers and Information Technology %K Math, Chemistry, and Physics %K Surveys and Statistics %P 468 %X The remarkable growth of both computer science and biology in recent decades has drawn attention to their areas of intersection. Both fields have much in common; they are among the most rapidly changing fields of science, they both deal with very complex systems, and they both have profound implications for science and society. To examine the potential for greater interaction between the two fields, the National Research Council undertook a study looking at ways computational science can aid the development and understanding of biology and how the biological sciences might facilitate new and more powerful computational methods. This book presents an analysis of the potential synergies at the interface of the two fields and of ways to develop new collaborations between researchers in both areas to exploit those synergies. The book provides a large sample of well-documented examples of these interactions. The study concludes that the impact of computing on biology will be deep and profound and span virtually all areas of life science research. Computational biology will ultimately become part of the biological sciences. The impact of biology on computing is less certain, but could be substantial and should be pursued. %0 Book %A National Academy of Engineering %A National Research Council %E Joyce, Stephanie %E Mazza, Anne-Marie %E Kendall, Steven %T Positioning Synthetic Biology to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century: Summary Report of a Six Academies Symposium Series %@ 978-0-309-22583-0 %D 2013 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13316/positioning-synthetic-biology-to-meet-the-challenges-of-the-21st-century %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13316/positioning-synthetic-biology-to-meet-the-challenges-of-the-21st-century %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Engineering and Technology %P 80 %X Synthetic biology -- unlike any research discipline that precedes it -- has the potential to bypass the less predictable process of evolution to usher in a new and dynamic way of working with living systems. Ultimately, synthetic biologists hope to design and build engineered biological systems with capabilities that do not exist in natural systems -- capabilities that may ultimately be used for applications in manufacturing, food production, and global health. Importantly, synthetic biology represents an area of science and engineering that raises technical, ethical, regulatory, security, biosafety, intellectual property, and other issues that will be resolved differently in different parts of the world. As a better understanding of the global synthetic biology landscape could lead to tremendous benefits, six academies -- the United Kingdom's Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering, the United States' National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, and the Chinese Academy of Science and Chinese Academy of Engineering -- organized a series of international symposia on the scientific, technical, and policy issues associated with synthetic biology. Positioning Synthetic Biology to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century summarizes the symposia proceedings. %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %T Microphysiological Systems: Bridging Human and Animal Research: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief %D 2021 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26124/microphysiological-systems-bridging-human-and-animal-research-proceedings-of-a %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26124/microphysiological-systems-bridging-human-and-animal-research-proceedings-of-a %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 10 %X Microphysiological systems (MPS) are complex, multi-cellular in vitro systems that commonly include three-dimensional aspects, fluid flow, changing pressure or stretch, and multi-organ interactions. These systems are being developed to better mimic some aspects of specific organ systems or combinations of organ systems to improve upon standard two-dimensional cell systems, with the goal of eventually replacing animal models being used for hazard identification, risk assessment, and disease modeling, among other uses. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine convened a workshop to discuss current progress in developing MPS that realistically model in vivo animal and human physiology and to strategize about the potential to establish sustainable human and animal MPS banks. Speakers discussed how MPS fit within the portfolio of tools used in their fields of expertise, the limitations and areas of needed improvement for MPS, and how MPS may be used in the future as the technology develops. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Defining the Mandate of Proteomics in the Post-Genomics Era: Workshop Report %D 2002 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10560/defining-the-mandate-of-proteomics-in-the-post-genomics-era %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10560/defining-the-mandate-of-proteomics-in-the-post-genomics-era %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 50 %X Research in proteomics is the next logical step after genomics in understanding life processes at the molecular level. In the largest sense proteomics encompasses knowledge of the structure, function and expression of all proteins in the biochemical or biological contexts of all organisms. Since that is an impossible goal to achieve, at least in our lifetimes, it is appropriate to set more realistic, achievable goals for the field. Up to now, primarily for reasons of feasibility, scientists have tended to concentrate on accumulating information about the nature of proteins and their absolute and relative levels of expression in cells (the primary tools for this have been 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry). Although these data have been useful and will continue to be so, the information inherent in the broader definition of proteomics must also be obtained if the true promise of the growing field is to be realized. Acquiring this knowledge is the challenge for researchers in proteomics and the means to support these endeavors need to be provided. An attempt has been made to present the major issues confronting the field of proteomics and two clear messages come through in this report. The first is that the mandate of proteomics is and should be much broader than is frequently recognized. The second is that proteomics is much more complicated than sequencing genomes. This will require new technologies but it is highly likely that many of these will be developed. Looking back 10 to 20 years from now, the question is: Will we have done the job wisely or wastefully? %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %E Daniels, Ronald %E Beninson, Lida %T The Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers: Breaking Through %@ 978-0-309-47137-4 %D 2018 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25008/the-next-generation-of-biomedical-and-behavioral-sciences-researchers-breaking %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25008/the-next-generation-of-biomedical-and-behavioral-sciences-researchers-breaking %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Education %K Health and Medicine %K Behavioral and Social Sciences %P 192 %X Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has developed the world's preeminent system for biomedical research, one that has given rise to revolutionary medical advances as well as a dynamic and innovative business sector generating high-quality jobs and powering economic output and exports for the U.S. economy. However, there is a growing concern that the biomedical research enterprise is beset by several core challenges that undercut its vitality, promise, and productivity and that could diminish its critical role in the nation's health and innovation in the biomedical industry. Among the most salient of these challenges is the gulf between the burgeoning number of scientists qualified to participate in this system as academic researchers and the elusive opportunities to establish long-term research careers in academia. The patchwork of measures to address the challenges facing young scientists that has emerged over the years has allowed the U.S. biomedical enterprise to continue to make significant scientific and medical advances. These measures, however, have not resolved the structural vulnerabilities in the system, and in some cases come at a great opportunity cost for young scientists. These unresolved issues could diminish the nation's ability to recruit the best minds from all sectors of the U.S. population to careers in biomedical research and raise concerns about a system that may favor increasingly conservative research proposals over high-risk, innovative ideas. The Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers: Breaking Through evaluates the factors that influence transitions into independent research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences and offers recommendations to improve those transitions. These recommendations chart a path to a biomedical research enterprise that is competitive, rigorous, fair, dynamic, and can attract the best minds from across the country. %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %T Safeguarding the Bioeconomy %@ 978-0-309-49567-7 %D 2020 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25525/safeguarding-the-bioeconomy %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25525/safeguarding-the-bioeconomy %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 392 %X Research and innovation in the life sciences is driving rapid growth in agriculture, biomedical science, information science and computing, energy, and other sectors of the U.S. economy. This economic activity, conceptually referred to as the bioeconomy, presents many opportunities to create jobs, improve the quality of life, and continue to drive economic growth. While the United States has been a leader in advancements in the biological sciences, other countries are also actively investing in and expanding their capabilities in this area. Maintaining competitiveness in the bioeconomy is key to maintaining the economic health and security of the United States and other nations. Safeguarding the Bioeconomy evaluates preexisting and potential approaches for assessing the value of the bioeconomy and identifies intangible assets not sufficiently captured or that are missing from U.S. assessments. This study considers strategies for safeguarding and sustaining the economic activity driven by research and innovation in the life sciences. It also presents ideas for horizon scanning mechanisms to identify new technologies, markets, and data sources that have the potential to drive future development of the bioeconomy. %0 Book %A National Academy of Sciences %A National Research Council %E Jarmul, David %E Press, Frank %T Headline News, Science Views %@ 978-0-309-04384-7 %D 1991 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1575/headline-news-science-views %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1575/headline-news-science-views %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Policy for Science and Technology %P 248 %X Many Americans want information on how to eat a healthier diet, clean up the environment, or improve their children's education. Yet, all too often, people lack the time or background to read scientific reports for answers to these questions. Now, scientists and nonscientists alike will enjoy Headline News, Science Views, a collection of easy-to-read short articles on many of today's most important issues. These readable essays are written by some of the country's leading scientists, engineers, physicians, and other experts. The authors discuss intriguing issues in language that is understandable and compelling...without jargon. Celebrity Bill Cosby contributes an essay on "Getting the Facts Straight About Science." Television journalist Hugh Downs asks "Who Owns Antarctica?" Readers learn the many ways in which science and technology affect their daily lives. This volume makes groundbreaking scientific achievement accessible, fascinating—and fun. Bridging the gap between the experts and the public, it is a "must read" for anyone concerned about the future. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Biomolecular Self-Assembling Materials: Scientific and Technological Frontiers %@ 978-0-309-05628-1 %D 1996 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5502/biomolecular-self-assembling-materials-scientific-and-technological-frontiers %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5502/biomolecular-self-assembling-materials-scientific-and-technological-frontiers %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Engineering and Technology %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 44 %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %E Johnson, Anne %E Luhachack, Lyly %E Connell, Nancy %E Shaw, Carmen %T Engaging Scientists to Prevent Harmful Exploitation of Advanced Data Analytics and Biological Data: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief %D 2023 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27093/engaging-scientists-to-prevent-harmful-exploitation-of-advanced-data-analytics-and-biological-data %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27093/engaging-scientists-to-prevent-harmful-exploitation-of-advanced-data-analytics-and-biological-data %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 11 %X Artificial intelligence (AI), facial recognition, and other advanced computational and statistical techniques are accelerating advancements in the life sciences and many other fields. However, these technologies and the scientific developments they enable also hold the potential for unintended harm and malicious exploitation. To examine these issues and to discuss practices for anticipating and preventing the misuse of advanced data analytics and biological data in a global context, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened two virtual workshops on November 15, 2022, and February 9, 2023. The workshops engaged scientists from the United States, South Asia, and Southeast Asia through a series of presentations and scenario-based exercises to explore emerging applications and areas of research, their potential benefits, and the ethical issues and security risks that arise when AI applications are used in conjunction with biological data. This publication highlights the presentations and discussions of the workshops. %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %E Pool, Robert %T Autonomous Materials Discovery and Optimization: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief %D 2023 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26989/autonomous-materials-discovery-and-optimization-proceedings-of-a-workshop-in %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26989/autonomous-materials-discovery-and-optimization-proceedings-of-a-workshop-in %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Engineering and Technology %P 13 %X On November 1-2, 2022, the Defense Materials, Manufacturing, and its Infrastructure Standing Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop on autonomous materials discovery and optimization. This Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place during that workshop. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Opportunities in Biology %@ 978-0-309-07881-8 %D 1989 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/742/opportunities-in-biology %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/742/opportunities-in-biology %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 464 %X Biology has entered an era in which interdisciplinary cooperation is at an all-time high, practical applications follow basic discoveries more quickly than ever before, and new technologies—recombinant DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, and more—are revolutionizing the way science is conducted. The potential for scientific breakthroughs with significant implications for society has never been greater. Opportunities in Biology reports on the state of the new biology, taking a detailed look at the disciplines of biology; examining the advances made in medicine, agriculture, and other fields; and pointing out promising research opportunities. Authored by an expert panel representing a variety of viewpoints, this volume also offers recommendations on how to meet the infrastructure needs—for funding, effective information systems, and other support—of future biology research. Exploring what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon, Opportunities in Biology is an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in all subdisciplines of biology as well as for research administrators and those in funding agencies. %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %T Physics of Life %@ 978-0-309-27400-5 %D 2022 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26403/physics-of-life %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26403/physics-of-life %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Math, Chemistry, and Physics %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 370 %X Biological physics, or the physics of living systems, has emerged fully as a field of physics, alongside more traditional fields of astrophysics and cosmology, atomic, molecular and optical physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and plasma physics. This new field brings the physicist's style of inquiry to bear on the beautiful phenomena of life. The enormous range of phenomena encountered in living systems - phenomena that often have no analog or precedent in the inanimate world - means that the intellectual agenda of biological physics is exceptionally broad, even by the ambitious standards of physics. Physics of Life is the first decadal survey of this field, as part of a broader decadal survey of physics. This report communicates the importance of biological physics research; addresses what must be done to realize the promise of this new field; and provides guidance for informed decisions about funding, workforce, and research directions. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Toward Precision Medicine: Building a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research and a New Taxonomy of Disease %@ 978-0-309-22222-8 %D 2011 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13284/toward-precision-medicine-building-a-knowledge-network-for-biomedical-research %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13284/toward-precision-medicine-building-a-knowledge-network-for-biomedical-research %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Health and Medicine %P 142 %X Motivated by the explosion of molecular data on humans-particularly data associated with individual patients-and the sense that there are large, as-yet-untapped opportunities to use this data to improve health outcomes, Toward Precision Medicine explores the feasibility and need for "a new taxonomy of human disease based on molecular biology" and develops a potential framework for creating one. The book says that a new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of diseases and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment. The "new taxonomy" that emerges would define diseases by their underlying molecular causes and other factors in addition to their traditional physical signs and symptoms. The book adds that the new data network could also improve biomedical research by enabling scientists to access patients' information during treatment while still protecting their rights. This would allow the marriage of molecular research and clinical data at the point of care, as opposed to research information continuing to reside primarily in academia. Toward Precision Medicine notes that moving toward individualized medicine requires that researchers and health care providers have access to very large sets of health- and disease-related data linked to individual patients. These data are also critical for developing the information commons, the knowledge network of disease, and ultimately the new taxonomy. %0 Book %A Institute of Medicine %T America's Vital Interest in Global Health: Protecting Our People, Enhancing Our Economy, and Advancing Our International Interests %@ 978-0-309-05834-6 %D 1997 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5717/americas-vital-interest-in-global-health-protecting-our-people-enhancing %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5717/americas-vital-interest-in-global-health-protecting-our-people-enhancing %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Health and Medicine %P 72 %X As populations throughout the world live longer, there is an increasing trend toward global commonality of health concerns. This trend mirrors a growing demand for health and access to new interventions to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. The knowledge base required to meet these needs is not only of a technical kind, deriving from experiments of researchers, but must also draw from the experiences of governments in allocating resources effectively and efficiently to improve human health. This report from the Board on International Health of the Institute of Medicine focuses on the interest of the United States in these global health transitions. The report argues that America has a vital and direct stake in the health of people around the globe, and that this interest derives from both America's long and enduring tradition of humanitarian concern and compelling reasons of enlightened self-interest. %0 Book %A National Research Council %E Uhlir, Paul E. %T For Attribution: Developing Data Attribution and Citation Practices and Standards: Summary of an International Workshop %@ 978-0-309-26728-1 %D 2012 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13564/for-attribution-developing-data-attribution-and-citation-practices-and-standards %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13564/for-attribution-developing-data-attribution-and-citation-practices-and-standards %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Computers and Information Technology %K Policy for Science and Technology %P 238 %X The growth of electronic publishing of literature has created new challenges, such as the need for mechanisms for citing online references in ways that can assure discoverability and retrieval for many years into the future. The growth in online datasets presents related, yet more complex challenges. It depends upon the ability to reliably identify, locate, access, interpret, and verify the version, integrity, and provenance of digital datasets. Data citation standards and good practices can form the basis for increased incentives, recognition, and rewards for scientific data activities that in many cases are currently lacking in many fields of research. The rapidly-expanding universe of online digital data holds the promise of allowing peer-examination and review of conclusions or analysis based on experimental or observational data, the integration of data into new forms of scholarly publishing, and the ability for subsequent users to make new and unforeseen uses and analyses of the same data-either in isolation, or in combination with, other datasets. The problem of citing online data is complicated by the lack of established practices for referring to portions or subsets of data. There are a number of initiatives in different organizations, countries, and disciplines already underway. An important set of technical and policy approaches have already been launched by the U.S. National Information Standards Organization (NISO) and other standards bodies regarding persistent identifiers and online linking. The workshop summarized in For Attribution -- Developing Data Attribution and Citation Practices and Standards: Summary of an International Workshop was organized by a steering committee under the National Research Council's (NRC's) Board on Research Data and Information, in collaboration with an international CODATA-ICSTI Task Group on Data Citation Standards and Practices. The purpose of the symposium was to examine a number of key issues related to data identification, attribution, citation, and linking to help coordinate activities in this area internationally, and to promote common practices and standards in the scientific community. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Achievements of the National Plant Genome Initiative and New Horizons in Plant Biology %@ 978-0-309-11418-9 %D 2008 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12054/achievements-of-the-national-plant-genome-initiative-and-new-horizons-in-plant-biology %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12054/achievements-of-the-national-plant-genome-initiative-and-new-horizons-in-plant-biology %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Agriculture %P 182 %X Life on Earth would be impossible without plants. Humans rely on plants for most clothing, furniture, food, as well as for many pharmaceuticals and other products. Plant genome sciences are essential to understanding how plants function and how to develop desirable plant characteristics. For example, plant genomic science can contribute to the development of plants that are drought-resistant, those that require less fertilizer, and those that are optimized for conversion to fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) is a unique, cross-agency funding enterprise that has been funding and coordinating plant genome research successfully for nine years. Research breakthroughs from NPGI and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Arabidopsis 2010 Project, such as how the plant immune system controls pathogen defense, demonstrate that the plant genome science community is vibrant and capable of driving technological advancement. This book from the National Research Council concludes that these programs should continue so that applied programs on agriculture, bioenergy, and others will always be built on a strong foundation of fundamental plant biology research. %0 Book %A National Research Council %E Merrill, Stephen A. %E Mazza, Anne-Marie %T Reaping the Benefits of Genomic and Proteomic Research: Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation, and Public Health %@ 978-0-309-10067-0 %D 2006 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11487/reaping-the-benefits-of-genomic-and-proteomic-research-intellectual-property %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11487/reaping-the-benefits-of-genomic-and-proteomic-research-intellectual-property %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Policy for Science and Technology %P 188 %X The patenting and licensing of human genetic material and proteins represents an extension of intellectual property (IP) rights to naturally occurring biological material and scientific information, much of it well upstream of drugs and other disease therapies. This report concludes that IP restrictions rarely impose significant burdens on biomedical research, but there are reasons to be apprehensive about their future impact on scientific advances in this area. The report recommends 13 actions that policy-makers, courts, universities, and health and patent officials should take to prevent the increasingly complex web of IP protections from getting in the way of potential breakthroughs in genomic and proteomic research. It endorses the National Institutes of Health guidelines for technology licensing, data sharing, and research material exchanges and says that oversight of compliance should be strengthened. It recommends enactment of a statutory exception from infringement liability for research on a patented invention and raising the bar somewhat to qualify for a patent on upstream research discoveries in biotechnology. With respect to genetic diagnostic tests to detect patient mutations associated with certain diseases, the report urges patent holders to allow others to perform the tests for purposes of verifying the results. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T The Role of Theory in Advancing 21st-Century Biology: Catalyzing Transformative Research %@ 978-0-309-11249-9 %D 2008 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12026/the-role-of-theory-in-advancing-21st-century-biology-catalyzing %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12026/the-role-of-theory-in-advancing-21st-century-biology-catalyzing %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 208 %X Although its importance is not always recognized, theory is an integral part of all biological research. Biologists' theoretical and conceptual frameworks inform every step of their research, affecting what experiments they do, what techniques and technologies they develop and use, and how they interpret their data. By examining how theory can help biologists answer questions like "What are the engineering principles of life?" or "How do cells really work?" the report shows how theory synthesizes biological knowledge from the molecular level to the level of whole ecosystems. The book concludes that theory is already an inextricable thread running throughout the practice of biology; but that explicitly giving theory equal status with other components of biological research could help catalyze transformative research that will lead to creative, dynamic, and innovative advances in our understanding of life. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Health and Medicine: Challenges for the Chemical Sciences in the 21st Century %@ 978-0-309-08720-9 %D 2004 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10889/health-and-medicine-challenges-for-the-chemical-sciences-in-the %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10889/health-and-medicine-challenges-for-the-chemical-sciences-in-the %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Health and Medicine %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 76 %X The report assesses the current state of chemistry and chemical engineering within the context of drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and disease prevention. Also addressed are chemical and chemical engineering challenges in pharmaceutical synthesis, delivery, and manufacture.