Book excerpt: Chromatography is the separation method for biological molecules from the analytical to the preparative scale. Few of the recent advances in life science, whether in "proteomics" or in the industrial production of recombinant therapeutics, would have been possible without the help of chromatographic separations. Concomitantly, chromatography nowadays stands for much more than a batch column packed with porous particles. In this book eminent experts from academia and industry introduce the reader to some of the recent new developments in this exciting area. Ranging from evolving nanoanalytical techniques to advances in the material sciences and artificial antibodies and finally continuous large scale separations of the most fragile biologicals, this book should provide interesting reading material for students and practitioners from various fields.