Biotechnology in China / Dean H. Hamer and Shain-dow Kung ; Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China, National Academy of Sciences.
| Author/creator | Hamer, Dean |
| Other author | Kung, Shain-dow. |
| Other author | Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China (U.S.) |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | Washington, DC : National Academy Press, 1989. |
| Description | 1 online resource (1 PDF file (xiv, 102 pages)) |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete |
| Subjects |
| Summary | Biotechnology refers to the manipulation of living organisms and their constituents to benefit mankind. Traditional forms of biotechnology, such as alcohol fermentation and selective livestock breeding, have existed since prehistoric times. In the 1970s, scientists developed new techniques to isolate and characterize deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecule that acts as a blueprint for the development of all living creatures. This new technology, known as recombinant DNA, or gene cloning, has allowed scientists to achieve hitherto unprecedented control over living systems. The transfer of new genetic information into living organisms provides the means to create improved crop species and livestock breeds, to produce valuable pharmaceuticals and natural products, and perhaps even to cure human genetic diseases. China was still in the throes of the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, and thus, Chinese scientists had little chance to participate in the development of modern biotechnology. But in the past decade, China has chosen economic reform and development over political ideology by emphasizing the Four Modernizations of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology. In just the past 5 years, Chinese leaders have made biotechnology the top priority in the high technology field. Funding for biological research has been increased more than 25-fold during this period, and new mechanisms have been introduced to allocate these monies by competitive, peer-reviewed grants. At the present time, China's investment in biotechnology, as a percentage of its gross national product, is comparable to that in many Western countries. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Other forms | Issued also in print. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Source of description | Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (viewed October 25, 2017). |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 89063312 |
| ISBN | 0309041325 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |