Growing consumer interest in organic and herbal-based products has led to great demand in the botanicals industry in the past few years. However, the growing number of products utilizing medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) has threatened an estimated 9,000 medicinal plant species worldwide, making it critical to reevaluate their research and development, production, and utilization. Continuing advances in Omics methodologies and instrumentation are essential to understanding how plants cope with the dynamic nature of their growing environment, how yields and characteristics can be improved, and how to most effectively direct conservation efforts. With a focus on metabolomics, genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and more, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Expanding Their Horizons through Omics illustrates the genetic mechanisms of MAPs, providing a better understanding of MAPs conservation and methods to improve characteristics for medical applications. With an introduction on the role of MAPs in human health, subsequent chapters discuss using proteomics to increase MAP yields and plant quality, genome editing, and CRISPR/Cas9. A valuable resource for farmers, scientists, chemists, biochemists, pharmacists, and students interested in medicinal and aromatic plants and plant biology, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Expanding Their Horizons through Omics ensures readers have the background knowledge to put the necessary methodologies into practice themselves.

Tariq Aftab received his PhD from the Department of Botany at Aligarh Muslim University, India, where he is currently a Senior Assistant Professor. He is the recipient of a prestigious Leibniz DAAD fellowship from Germany, a Raman Fellowship from the Government of India, and Young Scientist Awards from both the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India. He has also served as a Visiting Scientist at IPK Gatersleben, Germany, and in the Department of Plant Biology at Michigan State University, United States. Dr. Aftab has edited numerous books for major international publishers, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, and CRC Press. He has co-authored several book chapters and published extensively in peer-reviewed, international journals. His research interests include physiological, proteomic, and molecular studies on medicinal and crop plants. Dr. Hakeem is a Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Head of the Plant Biotechnology Research Unit at the Princess Dr. Najlaa Bint Saud Al Saud Center for Distinguished Research in Biotechnology. His academic journey includes roles as Assistant Professor at the University of Kashmir and research appointments in Malaysia. He holds a Ph.D. in Botany from Jamia Hamdard, India, with expertise in plant eco-physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, and medicinal plant research. He has authored numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters, and serves on editorial boards for leading publishers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and affiliated with international scientific societies. His work focuses on advancing plant science through global collaborations and research on eco-physiological and molecular processes.