The book is organized around the central dogma of life, progressing from genes to proteins and higher-order cellular structures. Core application areas such as imaging, chemical genetics, activity-based protein profiling, and natural product discovery and biosynthesis are coverd in the core section of the book. Additional advanced topics and applications in, e. g., microbiology, developmental biology, and neurobiology are covered in the supplemental section. Every chapter is homogeneous in style and layout, consisting of a short historical introduction followed by a description of the underlying concepts and a selection of recent examples how the concept has been turned into practice.
With its broad scope and focus on turning ideas into applications, this textbook will serve as a starting point for anyone entering the field and looking for a guide to the wide range of available methods and strategies that chemical biology has to offer.