Including recent advances, this edition focuses on sustainable development and human welfare in biology, genetics, microbial biotechnology, and molecular medicine. While written for engineers specializing in biotechnology, those in agriculture, veterinary science, and medicine, will find new information relevant to their practice. It links biological principles to plant, animal, environmental, industrial, and medical biotechnologies, discusses concepts of genetics and molecular biology, and examines developments in the production of biopolymers, vaccines, gene therapy, bioremediation, biofuels, and biofertilizers.