From X-rays to DNA: How Engineering Drives Biology [Book Review]

This book presents a straightforward argument that there are many instances with a period of 40 or so years from the discovery of a technology to the development and utilization of such equipment in the biologists??? laboratory such that DNA analysis could be performed. The case is made that many Nobel Prize-winning discoveries were the result of multiple years of study facilitated by technology that had evolved over a period of approximately 40 years; a few were achieved in far less time due to collaborative efforts. These enabling technologies include radioisotopes, improved imaging technologies, electrophoresis techniques, microarrays, and the like. To speed up the process, the author argues for concurrent engineering practice, where biological (or clinical) research efforts are directly supported by involved, hands-on engineers or technicians. The text can be used as a discussion point when asking for funding, as there are some good arguments presented. It is not a classroom text and is heavily oriented toward research in biology. The fields of biomedical and/or biological and/or clinical engineering (personnel, exemplars, and contributions) are not considered.