Böcker av Board on Life Sciences

Human reproductive cloning is an assisted reproductive technology that would be carried out with the goal of creating a newborn genetically identical to another human being. This work considers the scientific and medical sides of this issue and ethical issues that pertain to human-subjects research.

Provides an exploration of the biological, ethical, and funding questions prompted by the therapeutic potential of undifferentiated human cells. This book also presents an overview of the moral and ethical problems that arise from the use of embryonic stem cells.

The BioWatch program, funded and overseen by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has three main elements - sampling, analysis, and response - each coordinated by different agencies. This title coordinates analysis and laboratory testing of the samples, though testing is actually carried out in state and local public health laboratories.

In September 2012, the first Institute was held in Aqaba, Jordan, bringing together 28 participants from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, and Yemen to engage with, evidence-based teaching methods, and become community leaders on dual use and related topics. This title offers insights from the institute.

As a better understanding of the global synthetic biology landscape could lead to tremendous benefits, six academies organized a series of international symposia on the scientific, technical, and policy issues associated with synthetic biology. This book summarizes the symposia proceedings.

"In cooperation with IAP: The Global Network of Science Academies, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, International Union of Microbiological Societies, Polish Academy of Sciences."

Reports on an international workshop, Global Challenges and Directions for Agricultural Biotechnology: Mapping the Course, organized by the National Research Council in Washington, DC. This book focuses on the potential applications of biotechnology and what developing countries might consider as they contemplate adopting biotechnology.

Life on Earth would be impossible without plants. Humans rely on plants for most clothing, furniture, food, as well as for many pharmaceuticals and other products. This title discusses how the plant immune system controls pathogen defense, demonstrate that the plant genome science community is capable of driving technological advancement.

Presents a review of knowledge about possible life on Mars; an astrobiological assessment of current Mars missions; a review of Mars-mission planetary protection; and findings and recommendations. This report notes that the increase in understanding of Mars will come from the collection and return to Earth of a suite of Martian surface materials.

Presents the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee's set of amendments to the "Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research". This report clarifies earlier recommendations and conclusions, including the criteria for determining which stem cell lines it is acceptable to use.

Assessing the Medical Risks of Human Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research

Provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honeybee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. This book outlines priorities for research and monitoring useful to improve information on the status of pollinators.

Identifies different approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. This report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.

Toxicogenomics is a discipline that combines expertise in toxicology, genetics, molecular biology, and environmental health to help understand the response of living organisms to stressful environments. The National Research Council convened a workshop to discuss how toxicogenomic data could be applied to improve risk assessments.

Because of the advances in the scientists' ability to analyze environmental information from geological data, the National Science Foundation and the US Geological Survey asked a National Research Council committee to assess the scientific opportunities and recommend how scientists can take advantage of these. This work presents these assessments.