This set presents wet lab methods for courses in biophysics or molecular biology. It provides a thorough description of modern experimental and analytical techniques used in biological and biophysical research. The author gives practical, step-by-step guidance on instrumentation and experimental design and includes recipes for common solutions and media, lists of important reagents, and a glossary of biological terms.
The manual offers a flexible course plan that permits completion of the labs in either a full term or intensive summer course. Tested in a pedagogical setting, the experiments follow a logical progression beginning with a DNA construct. The book starts with the basics of molecular cloning: amplifying and purifying plasmid, plasmid mapping, and using restriction enzymes. Later experiments deal with more advanced, emerging techniques, such as the synthesis and characterization of quantum dots and gold nanoparticles, protein crystallization, and spectroscopic techniques.
Table of Contents:
Prologue: Glossary and Introduction to the Wet Lab. Introduction and Background. Dna and Rna Methods. Protein Expression Methods. Protein Characterization Methods. Introduction to Light Microscopy. Advanced Microscopy Techniques. Expression Systems. Quantitative Tissue Culture Techniques. Surface Functionalization. Electrophysiology. Advanced Cell-Labeling Techniques. Nanoparticle Methods. Advanced Fluorescence Methods. Spectroscopy Tools and Techniques. Appendix 1: Quantitative Data Analysis. Appendix 2: Useful Lab Data.
Review :
Praise for the Textbook:"This book is essential reading for any physical scientist who is interested in performing biological research."
—Contemporary Physics
"… an ambitious text aimed at educating new graduate students about the important and most common techniques used in a modern biological physics laboratory; it could also serve nicely as a reference manual for advanced graduate students of new or underused protocols. … Overall, the many outstanding qualities should make it an essential part of the biophysicist’s collection."
—Jennifer L. Ross, Physics Today, August 2012
"Very useful as a resource to get a basic understanding of methodology outside one's realm of expertise … very readable."
—Gary F. Polking, Ph.D., Iowa State University
"The book provides a comprehensive overview of diverse methods in biophysics. It will be a great resource for every working scientist in the physical sciences. It would also be a great supporting text to read as part of an introductory course in biophysical methods, particularly for graduate students and postdocs entering the field from other disciplines."
—Anthony J. Koleske, Yale University
"This book provides a broad overview on the many interrelated disciplines shaping modern biophysical research. Its structure evolves from the basics of biochemistry through the principles of relevant analytical techniques to the chemistry of nanoparticles and surfaces. The many chapters appear to be rather exhaustive, clearly organized and beautifully illustrated. I believe that this book will be a useful tool to undergraduate and graduate students and a valuable reference for researchers in the field."
—Françisco M. Raymo, University of Miami
"This book fills the need for a practical, hands-on guide for physical scientists who are moving into biological research."
—Daniel A. Beard, Medical College of Wisconsin
"As scientists from more quantitative fields expand further into molecular and cellular biology, their labs need to acquire new biological methods for sample preparation and handling. These skills are not traditionally available to physicists and chemists. This book will be appropriate for any experimentalist in chemistry or physics who is moving into biological work. It will also be excellent reading material for undergraduate or graduate students who will be working in a biologically oriented lab, as well as for an advanced lab class in biophysics or bioengineering."
—Mark C. Williams, Northeastern University
"This book will be very useful for training the growing number of researchers and students from physical sciences to become more familiar with techniques used in biology. The author has made a great effort to keep everything defined and simple."
—James A. Forrest, Department of Physics and Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
Praise for the Lab Manual:
"This book provides clear step-by-step protocols to understand basic molecular biology. I really like the explanations for why experiments fail!"
—David Irwin, Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto
"This companion laboratory manual injects a jolt of excitement to the existing textbook. The textbook and laboratory guide set will soon become a favorite of instructors and students alike."
—Jay Tang, Brown University
"Dr. Nadeau’s textbook is a hugely useful resource for anybody performing biophysical experiments. It is also of practical importance to theoretical and computational biophysicists who want to be informed about the methods available to test their predictions."
—Jack A. Tuszynski, PhD, Allard Research Chair, Department of Oncology, and Professor, Department of Physics, University of Alberta
"A valuable guide for students interested in this interdisciplinary area of research as well as a useful reference for experts in the field."
—Françisco M. Raymo, Professor of Chemistry, University of Miami
