Book excerpt: Recent years have seen a greater industrial emphasis in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the pharmaceutical and chemical sciences. However, textbooks have been slow to adapt, leaving the field without a text/reference that is both instructional and practical in the industrial setting – until now. A Handbook of Bioanalysis and Drug Metabolismis a stimulating new text that examines the techniques, methodology, and theory of bioanalysis, pharmacokinetics, and metabolism from the perspective of scientists with extensive professional experience in drug discovery and development. These three areas of research help drug developers to optimize the active component within potential drugs thereby increasing their effectiveness, and to provide safety and efficacy information required by regulators when granting a drug license. Professionals with extensive experience in drug discovery and development as well as specialized knowledge of the individual topics contributed to each chapter to create a current and well-credentialed text. It covers topics such as high performance liquid chromatography, protein binding, pharmacokinetics and drug–drug interactions. The unique industrial perspective helps to reinforce theory and develop valuable analytical and interpreting skills. This text is an invaluable guide to students in courses such as pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, chemistry, physiology and toxicology, as well as professionals in the biotechnology industry.