This book considers all aspects of bioprospecting in 14 succinct chapters and a forward by
David Hawksworth. The organisms addressed include plants insects fungi bacteria and phages.
Bioprospecting has never been more relevant and is of renewed interest because of the
extremely worrying rise in novel resistant pathogenic microorganisms. The practices in
pharmaceutical companies have failed to deliver novel antibiotics to control these infections.
We need to look for new sources of drugs from the environment on a massive scale as drug
discovery is too important to fail. Furthermore the field can add great value to ecosystems in
terms of economics while providing additional reasons for maintaining associated services
such as food provision benign climate effective nutrient cycling and cultural practices.
Bioprospecting provides another reason why climate change must be reduced in order to preserve
relevant environments. Previous bioprospecting projects should be re-visited and established
biodiversity centres have a major role. Many different ecosystems exist which contain unique
organisms with the potential to supply novel antibiotics enzymes food and cosmetics or they
may simply have aesthetic value. The book stresses the difficulties in obtaining successful
products and yet describes why natural products should be investigated over combinatorial
chemistry. Personal experience of bioprospecting projects are given significance. Issues such
as how to share the benefits equitably with local communities are described and why
pharmaceutical companies can be reluctant to be involved. Legal issues are discussed. Finally
there has never been a better time for a new book on bioprospecting because of the need to
preserve ecosystems and from the emergence of resistant pathogenic microorganisms.
