In the main, Biotechnology and health: South Africa's aspirations in health-related biotechnology consists of papers delivered at a one-day conference held in April 2006, when leading international authorities on the subject of biotechnology gathered in Somerset West, South Africa. Relevant contributions from other sources are also included.

Introduction

Chapter 1 Biotechnology and South Africa: a science journalist’s overview

Chapter 2 Better biology, better medicine, better health? The role of South African higher education in reducing the disease burden of the country and the continent

Chapter 3 Making biotechnology serve Africa’s needs

Chapter 4 Status of research and development in Africa

Chapter 5 So what is your problem? Finance … brains … cottage science … projects … delivery … ?

Chapter 6 The importance of having an organized system of IP rights and patent-development systems

Chapter 7 The challenges of starting up a biotech company in South Africa

Chapter 8 Mobilizing the best brains to deal with poverty and health in Africa: challenges and opportunities in the world of science

Chapter 9 The role of the Department of Education in providing appropriate secondary education to advance the biological sciences in Africa

Chapter 10 Adopt, adapt, and prosper: building the foundation for biotechnology – lessons from Canada

Chapter 11 From mountains to safaris: Switzerland as an example of how to develop and commercialize science

Chapter 12 Accelerating biotechnology development in South Africa

Chapter 13 The macro view of biotechnology capability in the South African science system

Chapter 14 Biotechnology and the journey of humanity

Chapter 15 Humanity’s genes

Chapter 16 Biotechnology in the new millennium

Chapter 17 Where to from here?