Molecular Bio-Sensors and the Role of Metal Ions

Taken from the book review of Mark D. Pagel in Coord. Chem. Rev. 478 (2023) 214994 The book Molecular Bio-Sensors and the Role of Metal Ions consists of 10 chapters that review the roles of calcium, vanadium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, and cadmium in the life sciences. The volume especially focuses on the development of bio-sensors that can be used with a variety of analytical methods that cover a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Importantly, many of these analytical methods can be used to evaluate biological specimens to improve our understanding of biology and physiology, and many of these methods can be translated into the workflow of medical practice. Overall, this book is comprehensive while presenting content at a very approachable level. The figures add to the quality of the writing, especially by presenting schematics that clarify complicated concepts, chemical structures that clarify subtle differences between agents, and biological & biomedical images that are eye-catching reminders of the value of molecular imaging. Although each chapter stands alone, insights for the detection and utility of detection of each metal can be gleaned from other chapters. Together, the 10 chapters of Volume 23 clearly continue the strong value of this book series, and clearly justify the rebranding of this series with the expanded title of Metal Ions in Life Sciences (MILS).