Extremophiles ― From Biology to Biotechnology

Extremophiles are nature’s ultimate survivors, thriving in environments ranging from the frozen Antarctic to abyssal hot hydrothermal vents. Their lifeforms span bacteria to fishes, and are categorized as halophiles from hypersaline environments, acidophiles from acidic waters, psychrophiles from cold habitats, and thermophiles from warm waters. Extremophiles: From Biology to Biotechnology comprehensively covers the basic biology, physiology, habitats, secondary metabolites for bioprospecting, and biotechnology of these extreme survivors. The chapters focus on the novel genetic and biochemical traits that lend these organisms to biotechnological applications.

This unique guide serves as a resource for biotechnologists who wish to explore extremophiles for their commercial potential, as well as a valuable reference for teaching undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

Subba Rao V. Durvasula was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the Andhra University. His scientific career engaged him first as a UNESCO Fellow and subsequently as a scientist at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Australia, NRC Fellow (National Research Council of Canada, Bedford Inst. Oceanography, Canada), Faculty member of The John’s Hopkins University, U.S.A, as a Biological Oceanographer at the BIO and later as an Emeritus Scientist (Bedford Institute of Oceanography,Dartmouth, Canada), as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Mexico, and, at present, a Consultant scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.

Dr. Ravi Durvasula is a Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he is also appointed as Chief of Medicine at the New Mexico VA Health Care System. Dr. Durvasula's laboratory focuses on transgenic and paratransgenic approaches to control of vector-borne diseases such as Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis. He currently has collaborative research programs in Brazil, Guatemala, Argentina and India. Dr. Durvasula's research also involves development of novel paratransgenic delivery systems for application at human mucosal surfaces.