Recent scientific breakthroughs, celebrity patient advocates, and conflicting religious beliefs have come together to bring the state of stem cell researchâ€"specifically embryonic stem cell researchâ€"into the political crosshairs. President Bushâ€™s watershed policy statement allows federal funding for embryonic stem cell research but only on a limited number of stem cell lines. Millions of Americans could be affected by the continuing political debate among policymakers and the public. Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine provides a deeper exploration of the biological, ethical, and funding questions prompted by the therapeutic potential of undifferentiated human cells. In terms accessible to lay readers, the book summarizes what we know about adult and embryonic stem cells and discusses how to go about the transition from mouse studies to research that has therapeutic implications for people. Perhaps most important, Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine also provides an overview of the moral and ethical problems that arise from the use of embryonic stem cells. This timely book compares the impact of public and private research funding and discusses approaches to appropriate research oversight. Based on the insights of leading scientists, ethicists, and other authorities, the book offers authoritative recommendations regarding the use of existing stem cell lines versus new lines in research, the important role of the federal government in this field of research, and other fundamental issues. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Project Overview and Definitions</li>
<li>2. Adult Stem Cells</li>
<li>3. Embryonic Stem Cells</li>
<li>4. Opportunities for and Barriers to Progress in Stem Cell Research for Regenerative Medicine</li>
<li>5. Findings and Recommendations</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Glossary</li>
<li>Appendix A: Committee Biographies</li>
<li>Appendix B: Workshop Agenda and Speaker Biographies</li>
<li>Index</li>
</ul>

Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine

Politics & Social Sciences

Division on Earth and Life Studies

Board on Life Sciences

Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE

National, Research Council

Committee on the Biological and Biomedical Applications of Stem Cell Research

Philosophy

National Academies Press

Nonindigenous plants and plant pests that find their way to the United States and become invasive can often cause problems. They cost more than $100 billion per year in crop and timber losses plus the expense of herbicides and pesticides. And this figure does not include the costs of invasions in less intensively managed ecosystems such as wetlands. Nonindigenous Plants and Plant Pests examines this growing problem and offers recommendations for enhancing the science base in this field, improving our detection of potential invaders, and refining our ability to predict their impact. The book analyzes the factors that shape an invaderâ€™s progress through four stages: arriving through one of many possible ports of entry, reaching a threshold of survival, thriving through proliferation and geographic spread, and ultimate impact on the organismâ€™s new environment. The book also reviews approaches to predicting whether a species will become an invader as well as the more complex challenge of predicting and measuring its impact on the environment, a process involving value judgments and risk assessment. This detailed analysis will be of interest to policymakers, plant scientists, agricultural producers, environmentalists, and public agencies concerned with invasive plant and plant pest species.

Predicting Invasions of Nonindigenous Plants and Plant Pests

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources

Committee on the Scientific Basis for Predicting the Invasive Potential of Nonindigenous Plants and Plant Pests in the United States

Gardening & Landscape Design

A workshop to assess the science and technology of life detection techniques was organized by the Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life (COEL) of the Board on Life Sciences (BLS) and the Space Studies Board (SSB). Topics discussed in the workshop included the search for extraterrestrial life in situ and in the laboratory, extant life and the signature of extinct life, and determination of the point of origin (terrestrial or not) of detected organisms.

Signs of Life: A Report Based on the April 2000 Workshop on Life Detection Techniques

Science & Math

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

Space Studies Board

Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life

Astronomy & Space Science

Genetic-based animal biotechnology has produced new food and pharmaceutical products and promises many more advances to benefit humankind. These exciting prospects are accompanied by considerable unease, however, about matters such as safety and ethics. This book identifies science-based and policy-related concerns about animal biotechnologyâ€"key issues that must be resolved before the new breakthroughs can reach their potential. The book includes a short history of the field and provides understandable definitions of terms like cloning. Looking at technologies on the near horizon, the authors discuss what we know and what we fear about their effectsâ€"the inadvertent release of dangerous microorganisms, the safety of products derived from biotechnology, the impact of genetically engineered animals on their environment. In addition to these concerns, the book explores animal welfare concerns, and our societal and institutional capacity to manage and regulate the technology and its products. This accessible volume will be important to everyone interested in the implications of the use of animal biotechnology. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Introduction</li>
<li>2. Applications of Biotechnology Techniques</li>
<li>3. Animals Engineered for Human Health Purposes</li>
<li>4. Food Safety Concerns</li>
<li>5. Environmental Concerns</li>
<li>6. Animal Health and Welfare</li>
<li>7. Concerns Related to Scientific Uncertainty, Policy Context, Institutional Capacity, and Social Implications</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Glossary</li>
<li>Appendix A: Workshop Agenda</li>
<li>Appendix B: Regulatory Framework for Animal Biotechnology</li>
<li>About the Authors</li>
<li>Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications</li>
<li>Index</li>
</ul>

Animal Biotechnology: Science-Based Concerns

Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology, Health, and the Environment

Committee on Defining Science-Based Concerns Associated with Products of Animal Biotechnology

Biological Sciences

Biological sciences have been revolutionized, not only in the way research is conducted -- with the introduction of techniques such as recombinant DNA and digital technology -- but also in how research findings are communicated among professionals and to the public. Yet, the undergraduate programs that train biology researchers remain much the same as they were before these fundamental changes came on the scene. This new volume provides a blueprint for bringing undergraduate biology education up to the speed of todayâ€™s research fast track. It includes recommendations for teaching the next generation of life science investigators, through: <ul>
<li>Building a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that includes physical science, information technology, and mathematics.</li> <li>Eliminating the administrative and financial barriers to cross-departmental collaboration.</li> <li>Evaluating the impact of medical college admissions testing on undergraduate biology education.</li> <li>Creating early opportunities for independent research.</li> <li>Designing meaningful laboratory experiences into the curriculum. 
</li> </ul>
 The committee presents a dozen brief case studies of exemplary programs at leading institutions and lists many resources for biology educators. This volume will be important to biology faculty, administrators, practitioners, professional societies, research and education funders, and the biotechnology industry. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Introduction</li>
<li>2. A New Biology Curriculum</li>
<li>3. Instructional Materials and Approaches for Interdisciplinary Teaching</li>
<li>4. Engaging Students With Interdisciplinary and Project-Based Laboratories</li>
<li>5. Enabling Undergraduates to Experience the Excitement of Biology</li>
<li>6. Implementation</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A: Charge to the Committee</li>
<li>Appendix B: Biographical Information on Committee Members</li>
<li>Appendix C: Membership of the Panels and Workshops</li>
<li>Appendix D: Chemistry Panel Summary</li>
<li>Appendix E: Physics and Engineering Panel Summary</li>
<li>Appendix F: Mathematics and Computer Science Panel Summary</li>
<li>Appendix G: Workshop on Innovative Undergraduate Biology Education</li>
<li>Index</li>
</ul>

BIO 2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists

Committee on Undergraduate Biology Education to Prepare Research Scientists for the 21st Century

Public confidence in the security of the US food and fiber system has been sustained by the quality, variety, abundance, and affordability of agricultural products in the United States. Although the system in place to defend against unintentional threats to agriculture has weaknesses and needs, the demonstrated ability of the system to resolve, accommodate, or manage critical food safety problems, temporary shortages of some commodities, plant and animal infestations and diseases, and natural disasters indicates that, in general, such confidence has been warranted. However, over the last several years, there has been recognition of the possibility and consequences of intentional threats directed at US agriculture. Such attacks could come from foreign or domestic terrorists and use biological, chemical, or radiological agents. They could be directed at the pre harvest (live plant and live animal) or post harvest (processing and distribution) stages of food and fiber production. Countering Agricultural Bioterrorism asseses the vulnerability of US agriculture to intentional threats and provides recommendations needed to strengthen and adapt the US system for defense against biological threats to agriculture. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Introduction</li>
<li>2. Current United States System: An Overview</li>
<li>3. Lessons Learned from the Study of Potential Agents of Agricultural Bioterrorism</li>
<li>4. Research Needs and Opportunities</li>
<li>5. Strengthening the Nation's Defense Against Agricultural Bioterrorism</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A: National Security Implications of Advances in Biotechnology: Threats to Plants and Animals, Planning Meeting Information</li>
<li>Appendix B: Public Meetings of the Committee on Biological Threats to Agricultural Plants and Animals</li>
<li>Appendix C: Acronym List</li>
<li>Appendix D: United States Department of Agriculture Homeland Security Council</li>
<li>About the Authors</li>
</ul>

Countering Agricultural Bioterrorism

History

Committee on Biological Threats to Agricultural Plants and Animals

Military

Biologists communicate to the research community and document their scientific accomplishments by publishing in scholarly journals. This report explores the responsibilities of authors to share data, software, and materials related to their publications. In addition to describing the principles that support community standards for sharing different kinds of data and materials, the report makes recommendations for ways to facilitate sharing in the future.

Sharing Publication-Related Data and Materials: Responsibilities of Authorship in the Life Sciences

Computers & Technology

Committee on Responsibilities of Authorship in the Biological Sciences

Networking & Cloud Computing

The workshop summary provides guidance for researchers applying to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding. New NSF guidelines require applications to address the "broader impact" of the proposed research. Presentations at the workshop provided ideas on how to do this by engaging in undergraduate education, K-12 education or public outreach via museums or journalists. The workshop summary discusses issues to consider in choosing an appropriate collaborator for the education or outreach component of the project and how to build in methods for assessing the success of the project. It also provides lists of resources helpful in writing education proposals and discusses the similarities between research in education and scientific research. Table of ContentsFront Matter1 Introduction2 Summary of the WorkshopAppendix A: Charge to the Planning GroupAppendix B: Biographical Information on Planning Group Members and Workshop SpeakersAppendix C: Workshop InformationAppendix D: Assessment and Evaluation Data on Case Study ProjectsAppendix E: Additional ResourcesAppendix F: Selected Reports on Learning from the National Academies

Integrating Research and Education: Biocomplexity Investigators Explore the Possibilities: Summary of a Workshop

Planning Group for the Workshop on Integrating Education in Biocomplexity Research

Avila, Bridget K. B.

Research

The report says that important organizational changes are needed at the National Institutes of Health to ensure the agency meets future challenges effectively. In particular, the report advises NIH to devote additional resources to innovative interdisciplinary research that reflects its strategic objectives and cuts across all agency's institutes and centers. The report recommends that Congress should establish a formal process for determining how specific proposals for changes in the number of NIH agencies and centers should be addressed.

Enhancing the Vitality of the National Institutes of Health: Organizational Change to Meet New Challenges

Board on Health Sciences Policy

Committee on the Organizational Structure of the National Institutes of Health

Business & Money

Genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) have been under development for more than 20 years while GE crops have been grown commercially during the last decade. During this time, a number of questions have cropped up concerning the potential consequences that certain GEOs might have on natural or managed ecosystems and human health. Interest in developing methods to confine some GEOs and their transgenes to specifically designated release settings has increased and the success of these efforts could facilitate the continued growth and development of this technology. Biological Confinement of Genetically Engineered Organisms examines biological methods that may be used with genetically engineered plants, animals, microbes, and fungi. Bioconfinement methods have been applied successfully to a few non-engineered organisms, but many promising techniques remain in the conceptual and experimental stages of development. This book reviews and evaluates these methods, discusses when and why to consider their use, and assesses how effectively they offer a significant reduction of the risks engineered organisms can present to the environment. Interdisciplinary research to develop new confinement methods could find ways to minimize the potential for unintended effects on human health and the environment. Need for this type of research is clear and successful methods could prove helpful in promoting regulatory approval for commercialization of future genetically engineered organisms. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Introduction</li>
<li>2. When and Why to Consider Bioconfinement</li>
<li>3. Bioconfinement of Plants</li>
<li>4. Bioconfinement of Animals: Fish, Shellfish, and Insects</li>
<li>5. Bioconfinement of Viruses, Bacteria, and Other Microbes</li>
<li>6. Biological and Operational Considerations for Bioconfinement</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>About the Authors</li>
<li>Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications</li>
<li>Index</li>
</ul>

Biological Confinement of Genetically Engineered Organisms

Committee on Biological Confinement of Genetically Engineered Organisms

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