This book describes the basic concepts and recent advances in new discoveries and technologies related to microbial omics and their role in environmental research and human health. The term "omics" refers to a blend of high-throughput analysis and traditional methods including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics for a variety of applications in the field of life sciences, biomedical sciences, environmental sciences, and related industries. The book aims to fill the existing gap in terms of a comprehensive approach that incorporates recent advances in this dynamic field and provides an answer to why this field requires an interdisciplinary research approach. The focus of this book is on the applications of genomics, epigenomics, metagenomics, integrative omics, machine learning and microbiome research in environmental health, disease, wastewater epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, drug discovery, cancer, production of secondary metabolites of microbial origin, oxidative stress alleviating mechanisms, etc. The overall construction of this book emphasizes three major perspectives, namely, elaborate knowledge from fundamentals to recent advances in technologies about omics in general and its application in microbiology, environment, and health in particular; illustrative figures capable of easy visualization of complex pathways; and serving as a platform for highly demanded bioinformatics strategies including relevant codes, programming scripts, machine learning and use of artificial intelligence strategies needed to streamline the research outcomes. With global contributions from authors from internationally renowned organizations who excel in relevant research, this book will benefit bibliophiles and prospective audiences from the research fraternity, academia, professionals, and experts in the field of life sciences, biomedical as well as industries related to the development of drug design and novel advances in biotechnological applications.

This book provides the technological insight on biorefinery and nanoremediation and provides comprehensive reviews on applications of Biochar for environmental sustainability. Critical review on biosurfectants in food applications as well as sustainable agricultural practices has also been provided in this book. It also highlights the microbial-omics and microRNAs for protecting ecotoxicity. Overall, this book provides critical as well as comprehensive chapters on wastewater treatment using different technologies.

Bioremediation using microbes is a sustainable technology for biodegradation of target compounds, and an omics approach gives more clarity on these microbial communities. This book provides insights into the complex behavior of microbial communities and identifies enzymes/metabolites and their degradation pathways. It describes the application of microbes and their derivatives for the bioremediation of potentially toxic and novel compounds. It highlights the existing technologies along with industrial practices and real-life case studies. Features: Includes recent research and development in the areas of omics and microbial bioremediation. Covers the broad environmental pollution control approaches such as metagenomics, metabolomics, fluxomics, bioremediation, and biodegradation of industrial wastes. Reviews metagenomics and waste management, and recycling for environmental cleanup. Describes the metagenomic methodologies and best practices, from sample collection to data analysis for taxonomies. Explores various microbial degradation pathways and detoxification mechanisms for organic and inorganic contaminants of wastewater with their gene expression. This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in environmental engineering, soil remediation, hazardous waste management, environmental modeling, and wastewater treatment.

Selected recent hot-topics in the application of advanced omics methods to the field of microbial ecology.

A great number of diverse microorganisms inhabit the human body and are collectively referred to as the human microbiome. Until recently, the role of the human microbiome in maintaining human health was not fully appreciated. Today, however, research is beginning to elucidate associations between perturbations in the human microbiome and human disease and the factors that might be responsible for the perturbations. Studies have indicated that the human microbiome could be affected by environmental chemicals or could modulate exposure to environmental chemicals. Environmental Chemicals, the Human Microbiome, and Health Risk presents a research strategy to improve our understanding of the interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome and the implications of those interactions for human health risk. This report identifies barriers to such research and opportunities for collaboration, highlights key aspects of the human microbiome and its relation to health, describes potential interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome, reviews the risk-assessment framework and reasons for incorporating chemicalâ€"microbiome interactions.

Although we can't usually see them, microbes are essential for every part of human life-indeed all life on Earth. The emerging field of metagenomics offers a new way of exploring the microbial world that will transform modern microbiology and lead to practical applications in medicine, agriculture, alternative energy, environmental remediation, and many others areas. Metagenomics allows researchers to look at the genomes of all of the microbes in an environment at once, providing a "meta" view of the whole microbial community and the complex interactions within it. It's a quantum leap beyond traditional research techniques that rely on studying-one at a time-the few microbes that can be grown in the laboratory. At the request of the National Science Foundation, five Institutes of the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy, the National Research Council organized a committee to address the current state of metagenomics and identify obstacles current researchers are facing in order to determine how to best support the field and encourage its success. The New Science of Metagenomics recommends the establishment of a "Global Metagenomics Initiative" comprising a small number of large-scale metagenomics projects as well as many medium- and small-scale projects to advance the technology and develop the standard practices needed to advance the field. The report also addresses database needs, methodological challenges, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in supporting this new field.

People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.

Technologies collectively called omics enable simultaneous measurement of an enormous number of biomolecules; for example, genomics investigates thousands of DNA sequences, and proteomics examines large numbers of proteins. Scientists are using these technologies to develop innovative tests to detect disease and to predict a patient's likelihood of responding to specific drugs. Following a recent case involving premature use of omics-based tests in cancer clinical trials at Duke University, the NCI requested that the IOM establish a committee to recommend ways to strengthen omics-based test development and evaluation. This report identifies best practices to enhance development, evaluation, and translation of omics-based tests while simultaneously reinforcing steps to ensure that these tests are appropriately assessed for scientific validity before they are used to guide patient treatment in clinical trials.

Environmental pollution emanating from rapid industrialization, population growth, and urbanization has been considered a major problem in recent years that affects biodiversity, ecosystems, and human health by contaminating soil and water. This book brings out a comprehensive collection of information on valuable insights into different cutting-edge omics technologies, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics, along with advanced next-generation sequencing technologies as well as bioinformatic tools, which led to a better understanding of microbial communities and their adaptability to a wide range of contaminants and underlying their mechanisms in bioremediation and biodegradation of environmental pollutants. In addition, this edited volume provides critical insight into of potent microbial communities endowed with unique functional attributes through their unique metabolism catalyzed by ‘signature’ enzymes and degradation pathways. Step-by-step descriptions are provided of various microbial metabolic pathways of degradation and biotransformation of environmental contaminants by numerous illustrations which make the information easier to understand for the readers. Each chapter is devoted to selected examples of microbial bioremediation supported by tables, and an extensive list of references for readers interested in learning further details about the subject matter. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers to professionals, policymakers, stockholders, practitioners, environmental engineers, soil scientists, and policymakers. In addition, the book serves as additional comprehensive material for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students who require a working knowledge and knowhow of ‘Omics’ involved in and required for environmental remediation of legacy and emerging contaminants, will also find this to be a useful read.