Scientists have long desired to create synthetic systems that function with the precision and efficiency of biological systems. Using new techniques, researchers are now uncovering principles that could allow the creation of synthetic materials that can perform tasks as precise as biological systems. To assess the current work and future promise of the biology-materials science intersection, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation asked the NRC to identify the most compelling questions and opportunities at this interface, suggest strategies to address them, and consider connections with national priorities such as healthcare and economic growth. This book presents a discussion of principles governing biomaterial design, a description of advanced materials for selected functions such as energy and national security, an assessment of biomolecular materials research tools, and an examination of infrastructure and resources for bridging biological and materials science.

Emsley describes chemicals which affect every aspect of our daily lives, including anecdotes about their proper or improper uses.

Many potential applications of synthetic and systems biology are relevant to the challenges associated with the detection, surveillance, and responses to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. On March 14 and 15, 2011, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) Forum on Microbial Threats convened a public workshop in Washington, DC, to explore the current state of the science of synthetic biology, including its dependency on systems biology; discussed the different approaches that scientists are taking to engineer, or reengineer, biological systems; and discussed how the tools and approaches of synthetic and systems biology were being applied to mitigate the risks associated with emerging infectious diseases. The Science and Applications of Synthetic and Systems Biology is organized into sections as a topic-by-topic distillation of the presentations and discussions that took place at the workshop. Its purpose is to present information from relevant experience, to delineate a range of pivotal issues and their respective challenges, and to offer differing perspectives on the topic as discussed and described by the workshop participants. This report also includes a collection of individually authored papers and commentary.

The last decade has seen the emergence and explosive growth of a new field of condensed matter science: materials chemistry. Transcending the traditional boundaries of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, this new approach aims to create new molecular and lattice ensembles with unusual physical properties. One of its pioneers, the author has worked on structure-property relations in the inorganic and metal-organic solid state for over 40 years. His seminal work on mixed-valency compounds and inorganic charge transfer spectra in the 1960s set the scene for this new type of chemistry, and his discovery of transparent metal-organic ferromagnets in the 1970s laid the ground rules for much current work on molecular magnets. He has also published extensively on molecular metals and superconductors, especially on charge transfer salts combining conductivity with magnetism. This indispensable volume brings together for the first time a selection of his articles on all these topics, grouped according to theme. Each group is prefaced by a brief introduction for the general reader, putting the articles into their context in the evolution of the subject and describing the intellectual circumstances in which each project was conceived and executed.

Concepts of Biology is designed for the single-semester introduction to biology course for non-science majors, which for many students is their only college-level science course. As such, this course represents an important opportunity for students to develop the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to make informed decisions as they continue with their lives. Rather than being mired down with facts and vocabulary, the typical non-science major student needs information presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. Even more importantly, the content should be meaningful. Students do much better when they understand why biology is relevant to their everyday lives. For these reasons, Concepts of Biology is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand.We also strive to show the interconnectedness of topics within this extremely broad discipline. In order to meet the needs of today's instructors and students, we maintain the overall organization and coverage found in most syllabi for this course. A strength of Concepts of Biology is that instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Concepts of Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand--and apply--key concepts.

Combining the contemporary knowledge from widely scattered sources, this is a much-needed and comprehensive overview of the field. In maintaining a balance between theory and experiment, the book guides both advanced students and specialists to this research area. Topical reviews written by the foremost scientists explain recent trends and advances, focusing on the correlations between electronic structure and magnetic properties. The book spans recent trends in magnetism for molecules -- as well as inorganic-based materials, with an emphasis on new phenomena being explored from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints with the aim of understanding magnetism on the atomic scale. The volume helps readers evaluate their own experimental observations and serves as a basis for the design of new magnetic materials. Topics covered include: * Metallocenium Salts of Radical Anion Bis-(dichalcogenate) metalates * Chiral Molecule-Based Magnets * Cooperative Magnetic Behavior in Metal-Dicyanamide Complexes * Lanthanide Ions in Molecular Exchange Coupled Systems * Monte Carlo Simulation * Metallocene-Based Magnets * Magnetic Nanoporous Molecular Materials A unique reference work, indispensable for everyone concerned with the phenomena of magnetism.