Book Series Editor: Khalid Rehman Hakeem, PhD
Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Sciences
Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Telephone: +966-508642544

Email: kur.hakeem@gmail.com

The AAP Focus on Next-Generation Biotechnology series is a bold, forward-looking collection that captures the explosive evolution of biological engineering and its profound impact on humanity, our planet, and beyond. Designed from the ground up to serve both undergraduate and postgraduate students, the series strikes the perfect balance between accessibility and depth.

Each volume is written by leading experts who understand how students actually learn: clear explanations of core concepts, real-world case studies, thought-provoking discussion questions, and forward-looking perspectives that prepare readers not just for exams, but for the careers and challenges that lie ahead.

From the classroom to the lab bench, from policy briefings to startup pitch decks, the Next Generation Biotechnology series is the definitive resource that will define how the next generation of scientists, engineers, clinicians, and innovators understands and shapes biology's future. This is not just another book series. This is the intellectual foundation for the students who will solve hunger, cure diseases, restore ecosystems, explore other worlds, and redefine what it means to be human.

Why this series will matter to students:

• Foundational yet cutting-edge volumes such as Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Gene-Edited Agriculture, Precision Healing: The Genomic Medicine Revolution, and Regenerating Tomorrow: Advances in Tissue Engineering give undergraduates a rock-solid grounding in today's most in-demand fields while giving postgraduates the latest tools, techniques, and literature reviews they need for research and thesis work.
• Emerging frontiers are explored in depth: Synthetic Life: Engineering Biology's Future, Digital Biology, AI-Driven Life: The Biotech Data Revolution, Biofabrication, and Microbes Reimagined: The Power of Microbiome Engineering introduce students to technologies that barely existed in textbooks five years ago—preparing them to lead, rather than follow, the next wave of innovation.
• Interdisciplinary and globally relevant topics—Planetary Health, Space Farming, Starbound Biotech: Biology Beyond Earth, Plant Biotech for a Hungry World, and Green Genes: Biotech for a Sustainable Planet—connect biology to climate change, food security, space exploration, and sustainability, making the series indispensable for students in environmental science, agriculture, engineering, and policy.
• Critical reflection is never sidelined. Volumes such as Ethics at the Edge: Navigating Biotech's Moral Frontier, Biosecurity and Biotech, and Global Biotech: Innovating for Health Equity equip students with the ethical literacy and societal awareness that top graduate programs and employers increasingly demand.
• Brain–machine convergence is addressed head-on in Biotech and the Brain and Mind Meets Machine: Neurobiotech Breakthroughs, giving neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and cognitive science students access to one of the hottest and most transformative intersections in modern science.

Titles may focus on:
• Plant Biotech for a Hungry World: Explores genetic engineering and CRISPR-based innovations in crops to enhance yield, nutritional value, and resistance to pests, diseases, and climate stressors. Highlight advancements like drought-tolerant plants, biofortified staples (e.g., Golden Rice), and vertical farming biotech.

• Synthetic Ecosystems: Reprogramming Nature: Dives into synthetic biology applications for creating artificial ecosystems, including engineered plants for carbon capture, bioremediation, and urban greening. Discuss how plant and microbial biotech can restore degraded environments.

• Gene-Edited Agriculture: Redefining Food Systems: Focuses on precision gene editing in plants to develop sustainable agriculture solutions, such as nitrogen-fixing crops, salt-tolerant varieties, and plants engineered for pharmaceutical production. Address regulatory and public acceptance challenges.

•Biotech and the Brain: Decoding Neural Frontiers: Examines neurobiotechnology advancements, including plant-derived compounds for neurological treatments, optogenetics, and brain-machine interfaces. Explore how biotech is unlocking new therapies for mental health and neurodegenerative diseases.

• Bio fabrication: Building Life from Scratch: Covers innovations in 3D bioprinting and synthetic biology, including plant-based biomaterials for tissue engineering and lab-grown meat. Highlight how plant biotech contributes to sustainable materials like bioplastics and biofuels.

• Planetary Health: Biotech for Earth's Recovery: Focuses on biotechnology's role in addressing global environmental challenges, including plant-based solutions for soil regeneration, phytoremediation of pollutants, and algae systems for carbon sequestration and renewable energy.

• Digital Biology: AI and Biotech Convergence: Explores how AI and machine learning are accelerating biotech innovation, including predictive modeling for plant breeding, drug discovery, and protein engineering. Discusses AI's role in optimizing plant biotech for climate resilience.

• Longevity and Regenerative Biotech: Highlights regenerative medicine advancements, such as stem cell therapies and organ regeneration, alongside plant biotech contributions like medicinal plant compounds for anti-aging and health span extension.

• Biosecurity and Biotech Governance: Addresses the risks and ethical challenges of advanced biotech, including genetically modified plants and synthetic organisms. Explore biosafety protocols, global regulations, and the balance between innovation and security.

• Space Farming: Plant Biotech Beyond Earth: Investigates plant biotechnology for space exploration, including genetically engineered crops for extraterrestrial agriculture, closed-loop life support systems, and plants designed for Martian or lunar environments.


Additional potential titles:
• Synthetic Life: Engineering Biology's Future
• Green Genes: Biotech for a Sustainable Planet
• Precision Healing: The Genomic Medicine Revolution
• Mind Meets Machine: Neurobiotech Breakthroughs
• Microbes Reimagined: The Power of Microbiome Engineering
• Ethics at the Edge: Navigating Biotech's Moral Frontier
• Starbound Biotech: Biology Beyond Earth
• AI-Driven Life: The Biotech Data Revolution
• Regenerating Tomorrow: Advances in Tissue Engineering
• Global Biotech: Innovating for Health Equity

The editor welcomes book proposals. Proposals are requested in a structured format, including a volume abstract, proposed chapter outline, target audience, and the editor's/author's qualifications.

The decision to accept book volume proposals for the series will be based on a rigorous set of criteria to ensure quality, relevance, and alignment with the mission of the series: Relevance to Series Themes; Scientific Rigor and Innovation; Clarity and Accessibility and Editor/Author Expertise.

All book volumes in the series will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure scientific accuracy, credibility, and quality. Each volume will be reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant subfield of biotechnology.

For more information contact: Dr. Khalid Rehman Hakeem at kur.hakeem@gmail.com

To download the book proposal questionnaire: Click Here Send to: email: kur.hakeem@gmail.com

About the Series Editor

Khalid Rehman Hakeem, PhD, is Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With over 16 years of experience in plant eco-physiology, biotechnology, molecular biology, medicinal plant research, and environmental studies, Dr. Hakeem is a seasoned author and editor, having authored over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, over 100 book chapters, and over 120 books with publishers like Springer Nature, Wiley, Taylor and Francis, Elsevier, and Apple Academic Press. He serves on editorial and review boards high-impact journals from Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley, and advises Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, London; fellow of the Plantae Group (American Society of Plant Biologists); and a member of the World Academy of Science, International Society for Development & Sustainability, Japan, and Asian Federation of Biotechnology, Korea. Dr. Hakeen currently leads international research projects, studying plant processes at eco-physiological and molecular levels.

After completing his doctorate (botany, specialization in plant eco-physiology and molecular biology) from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India, he worked as a lecturer at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India, and at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, where he was a Postdoctorate Fellow and Fellow Researcher (Associate Professor) for several years. He has served as a visiting scientist at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.