Book excerpt: Antibody-based therapeutics are a central driver of the success of biopharmaceuticals. The discovery technology of this field is isolated to a limited number of centers of excellence in industry and academia. The objective of this volume is to provide a series of guides to those evaluating and preparing to enter particular areas within the field. Each chapter is written with a historical perspective that sets into context the significance of the key developments, and with the provision of “points to consider” for the reader as a value-added feature of the volume. All contributors are experts in their fields and have played pivotal roles in the creation of the technology.