Metagenomics: Techniques, Applications, Challenges and Opportunities (eBook)

This book summarizes the various  areas of research in metagenomics and their potential applications in medicine, the environment and biotechnology. The book presents the recent advances in theoretical, methodological and applied aspects of metagenomics and highlights their applications in the fields of environmental microbial forensics, bioremediation, drug-discovery and agriculture. In addition, the book discusses various metagenomics approaches used for understanding the microbial physiology and biochemistry. Lastly the book describes a range of bioinformatics tools and computational methods for metagenomics analysis as well as the functional diversity and dynamics of microbial communities colonizing the human skin.

Dr. Reena Singh Chopra is an Assistant Professor at the School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University. She holds a Ph.D. from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, India. She has received IARDO and RACE-Bangkok Awards for Best Teacher (University Level). Her research focuses on metagenomics, microbial diversity, directed evolution, and mutagenesis for improving catalytic activity of microbial enzymes. She is currently exploring metagenomics for novel hydrolases and the production of bioactive molecules from myxobacteria. She has published ten papers  and book chapters, and is on the editorial boards of six journals. She is a member of the Indian Science Congress Association and a founding member of The Society of Biologists, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Er. Chirag Chopra is an Assistant Professor at the School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Industrial Biotechnology from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and an M.S. (Research) from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He has published ten papers in journals including Oncogene, Science Bulletin and f1000Research, and a book chapter. He is on the editorial board of five journals. He has received IARDO and RACE Bangkok Young Scientist Awards. His research focusses on targeting key oncogenic signaling proteins and T-cell checkpoint in cancer through plant-based natural compounds. He is currently working on microbial remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Er. Chirag is a member of the Indian Science Congress Association and a founding member of The Society of Biologists.

Dr. Neeta Raj Sharma is the Additional Dean of the School of Bioengineering and Biosciences at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab. Her research focuses on the fields of microbial biochemistry and biotechnology, wealth from waste and active molecules from medicinal plants. She has received research grants from the European Commission, IC-IMPACTS-DBT, and Punjab State Council for Science and Technology.  Dr. Sharma is a fellow member of the Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy, Indian Science Congress Association, Association of Microbiologists of India, and Indo-US Collaboration of Engineering Education, and a life member of the Association for the Promotion of DNA Fingerprinting and Other DNA Technologies, Indian Society of Agricultural Biochemists. She has published over 55 papers in leading journals and two books and holds twenty patents.

---

This book summarizes the various  areas of research in metagenomics and their potential applications in medicine, the environment and biotechnology. The book presents the recent advances in theoretical, methodological and applied aspects of metagenomics and highlights their applications in the fields of environmental microbial forensics, bioremediation, drug-discovery and agriculture. In addition, the book discusses various metagenomics approaches used for understanding the microbial physiology and biochemistry. Lastly the book describes a range of bioinformatics tools and computational methods for metagenomics analysis as well as the functional diversity and dynamics of microbial communities colonizing the human skin.