Many of the books containing information that is enhanced when presented visually are also available as a video guide or companion slide set. The company's Web site features a thorough catalog of products as well as reviews for some of the books it offers. Oxford University Press of Cary, N.C., also publishes hundreds of useful protocol manuals on diverse topics such as cloning, interactions between proteins and DNA or RNA, cytokine research, techniques involving affinity separations, nucleic acid and protein crystallization, cell culture, gene probes, viruses, protein purification, bioassays, microarray technology, functional genomics, and bioinformatics. The company's Practical Approach series, launched nearly 20 years ago, continues to be a popular seller and useful laboratory addition. Each one of these bench manuals is dedicated to an individual topic within the biomolecular sciences.
Plans are underway to develop an online version as well.
During its initial pilot phase, the site will be available free of charge. A wide array of books are available from San Diego-based Academic Press, covering subjects such as RNA methodologies, bioconjugate techniques, protocols for brain cell in situ hybridization, zebrafish experimentation, and methods involved in transgenic animal technology. The Humana Press Inc. of Totowa, N.J., is a scientific, technical, and medical publisher carrying upwards of 250 protocol manuals. According to marketing and sales manager Julie Handel , Humana is also developing a service in which customers can search and buy specific protocols online through the company's Web site without having to buy an entire book. Finally, BioTechniques journal, published by Eaton Publishing Company of Natick, Mass., is available monthly and features research papers on cutting- edge technologies.