Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Posted by R Santhosh Kalash on 4/14/2013 08:31:00 am No comments

Biotechnology essentially and predominantly deals with the meticulous application of living organisms or their corresponding products in a variety of large-scale industrial processes. Besides, biotechnology is extremely multidisciplinary in nature ; it has its foundations and domain prominently spread in a wide spectrum of fields, such as : pharmaceutical sciences, microbiology, biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, genetic engineering, chemistry, and chemical and process engineering. Therefore, it may be genuinely and rightly regarded as a series of ‘enabling technologies’ embracing the practical application of host specific organisms and their respective cellular components to either environmental management or to manufacturing and service industries.

Interestingly, from a historical aspect biotechnology could be regarded as a pragmatic, realistic, and tangible strategy to an ‘art’ more than a ‘science’, which may be enormously exemplified and duly expatiated in the commercial production of wines, beers, cheeses, and the like, whereby the modus operandi of various techniques involved were well-known and reproducible, but the exact molecular mechanisms were not known adequately. Nevertheless, at present biotechnology is passing through an amazing growth phase whose ultimate destiny is not too far in sight. With the advent of major advances in the better in-depth knowledge of ‘microbiology’ and ‘biochemistry’, these molecular mechanisms (viz., processes) have been rendered more logically understandable.

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, based entirely on modern biotechnological techniques, as to date encompass a wider range of altogether newer medicinal compounds, e.g., antibiotics, vaccines, and monclonal antibodies (MABs) that may now be produced commercially using well-defined, optimized, and improved fermentative methodologies. In fact, genetic engineering has brought in a sea change by virtue of the directed construction of microorganisms resulting in a plethora of newer life-saving drugs. The present textbook on ‘Pharmaceutical Biotechnology’ is strictly developed, structured, expanded, and expatiated along the guidelines provided by AICTE syllabus for B. Pharmacy–2000. It essentially consists of five main chapters, namely : Immunology and Immunological Preparations ; Genetic Recombination ; Antibiotics ; Microbial Transformations ; and Enzyme Immobilization. In addition to this, there are five auxilliary chapters, namely : Advent of Biotechnology ; Biosensor Technology ; Bioinformatics and Data Mining ; Regulatory Issues in Biotechnology ; and Safety in Biotechnology, which have been duly included so as to stimulate the students’ interest and expand their knowledge.

Each chapter has been carefully and adequately supported with a brief introductory note, followed by theoretical aspects, graphics, neat well-labeled diagrams, explanations, discussions, and profusely supplemented with appropriate examples to make the relevance of each topic more comprehensible to the students of Pharmacy both in India and abroad. It is earnestly believed that students, learning Pharmaceutical Biotechnology will certainly find this text not only useful but also a good companion for further pursuit of higher knowledge. Besides, research scientists, teachers, food technologists, industrial technical personals  postgraduate students involved in ‘industrial microbiology’ shall definitely be benefited from this practical approach to the broader horizons of biotechnology.

The authors solemnly believe that this modern, well documented, lucid and easy presentation of topics contained in the textbook on ‘Pharmaceutical Biotechnology’ will prove to be of immense value to students, teachers, and practising researchers.

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