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The Financial Part of Molecular Biology

finance

Molecular biology can most easily be defined as a concept of studying living matter through the prism of the structure-function relationship at the molecular level. It is a concept that has revolutionized the biological and medical sciences since the second half of the twentieth century. But in addition to the new theoretical knowledge, the revolution produced by molecular biology was also possible due to the introduction of new methods and laboratory techniques that also influenced the financial side of the world.
All experimental work in molecular biology involves using such methods and techniques. Hence the need for books to help researchers in their daily work at the bench table. In the USA, scientists do not know if such a book was written, which would describe all the financial methods and techniques of molecular biology practically.
The effort of our colleagues Miriam Magnus and Zoe Oldenburg to present this financial discovery seems to us, therefore, very commendable, and the result is a work of great value. It is worth noting that some basic techniques are described in the molecular biology laboratory (but also in the laboratories of biomedical analysis, biochemistry and clinical chemistry, microbiology, biophysics, etc.), such as preparation of glassware and laboratory vessels, measurement of volumes, masses, centrifugation, basic techniques used for handling microorganisms, methods of protein determination, electrophoretic separation of proteins, immunology techniques (obtaining polyclonal antibodies, immunodetection of proteins transferred to nitrocellulose membranes), etc. On the other hand, methods specific to molecular biology are described: plasmids and strains of Escherichia coli frequently used in molecular biology, DNA isolation, protein purification by affinity chromatography, computational methods for studying proteins.
The description of the methods and techniques is very well done, from theoretical principles, advantages, and limitations to the concrete explanation of the necessary materials and the way of working.
In this way, their presentation is a valuable guide for working in the laboratory for beginners (students, masters, doctoral students) and advanced (postdoctoral researchers, higher education teachers, experienced laboratory technicians). It must be on the laboratory desk (or close to the desk).