Biological Resource Centers: Knowledge Hubs for the Life Sciences

摘要: Biological resource centers (BRCs) collect, certify, and distribute organisms for use in research the development of commercial products pharmaceutical, agricultural, biotechnology industries. They maintain a large varied collection, including cell lines, micro-organisms, recombinant DNA material, biological media reagents, information technology tools that allow researchers to access materials. BRCs have established themselves as crucial element life science innovation infrastructure, from their early impact on virology, role addressing cross-culture contamination 1970s, current leadership promoting global biodiversity network. Today they confront new challenges, resulting shifts nature research, interaction between public private researchers, increasing focus biosecurity. This book provides systematic economic assessment through facilitating cumulative knowledge sciences building roles hubs --institutions facilitate transfer scientific technical among members community. The framework offers insight into how develop evaluate policy proposals impinge control Stern argues must be premised clear understanding play mechanisms encourage sustained growth effectiveness.